Standing Up
by Lord Trent Blackmore
Summary: They say that new experiences help us grow as people, I guess waking up in a world at war counts as a new experience, especially if that world's from a card game. The worst part, is waking up and finding out that you're technically part of the side that you know is going to lose. I really have my work cut out for me… (SI, starts during the Star-vader Invasion).
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Waking up in the Chuuni-est place out there**

I groaned as I sat up, my entire body sore, and brought a hand up to cradle my brow. When I heard a distinct clack of metal against glass, I opened my eyes and frowned at the dark tint to my vision. I could see that my hand had met my forehead, but there was some sort of visor over my eyes, the sound coming from the gauntlet covering my arm hitting the visor.

What the Hell.

Looking down at myself, I was apparently in some sort of body tight armour or suit, all of it in white, black, and red. Some of my hair fell into my vision when I looked down and it looked to be a sort of bluish colour, if I was compensating for the tint correctly.

Seriously, what the Hell?

Pushing myself to my feet and wincing at the pain from my aching body, I glance around to try and figure out where I am. There are skyscrapers all around me that I don't recognize, all of them damaged by what looked to be city honestly looks like a cross between what I've seen of Vegas and all those other cities that seem to always be lit up in neon and flashing lights. But it was all wrecked, signs had fallen from their holders and shattered all over the ground, windows were blown in and out, cars and other such vehicles were overturned and wrecked in the streets.

I could even hear what sounded like an ongoing battle in the distance.

How… how do I deal with this?

I wake up in some weird bodysuit, wearing some weird visor, and my hair is apparently fucking blue. What the fuck is going on here?!

Taking a breath, I try to calm myself down, get my bearings.

It's not really working.

"Query: What are you doing, Barrier Star-vader, Promethium Unit? Assertion: You should be assisting Star-vader, Infinite Zero Dragon in his assault against the Shadow Paladins holding the next grid."

The voice came from my left, causing me to jerk my head around and look at the source. The voice was feminine but flat, and belonged to what looked like a woman, wearing a similar bodysuit to the one on me and with a red-rimmed black ring floating behind her head. Her eyes are coloured in a startling manner, of red iris and black sclera, which narrow as she continues, "Query: Why do you not reply to the query asked of you by this Star-vader, Colony Maker Unit?"

What. Star-vaders? Promethium? Colony Maker? Infinite Zero Dragon? Am I on fucking Cray? Am I somehow in the Cray continuity of Cardfight! Vanguard?

"Sorry, sorry, but can you tell me where I am?" I ask, trying to figure out if that was what was actually happening. It was improbable, if not impossible.

She quirks her head, giving me a flat but still quizzical stare as she replies, "Answering: You are in Star Gate, where the Link Joker are attempting to get a foothold on the Planet Cray. Query: Is there an issue with your memory, Barrier Star-Vader, Promethium Unit?"

"Something like that… listen just… just head over to the battle without me, I'm sure they need you." I answer, bringing a hand up to massage my chin, breathing a bit heavily.

She shook her head, somehow managing to sound stern as she shot back, "Assertion: Incorrect, as a Barrier Star-vader, Promethium, you are more tactically important than I am, I shall accompany you to a commanding officer or someone capable of fixing you."

"Listen…" I'm about to answer when there's a crashing sound and-

Oh my god, that has to be Raging Form Dragon. He's about two and half stories tall, black scaled with a jagged crystalline spear in his right hand and his left is glowing with an awesome power. Buildings buckled and collapsed as he swept his spear about, his palm glowing with an awesome power as he swept it across a squad of white and red clad cyborgs which turned them into a rather chunky red rain. The dragon roared, both triumphantly and in challenge, and it echoed across the city, "Come now Revengers! Push these Star-vaders from our beloved Cray! Give them no quarter! Show them no mercy, as they shall show none to us or our world!"

Oh my god, that's Raging Form Dragon, and I'm likely a Star-vader. That's Raging Form Dragon, I'm likely a Star-vader, and the Star-vader Invasion's just begun.

Fuck me, I've got to run.

Grabbing the arm of the Colony Maker who had been so kind as to help me, I ran in the opposite direction of the battle, watching out of the corner of my eye in case they spilled over in our direction. I caught sight of another dragon, covered in various cybernetic enhancements, and if that isn't Infinite Zero Dragon then lightning strike me down.

Running even faster, I have to swallow the whoop rising in my throat, born not just from the adrenaline, but from a single fact.

These beings, these aliens, dragons, elves, robots, all of them are real! It's insane, but it's so amazing!

I really am on Cray, aren't I?

Pulling the Colony Maker away from the battle, I figure it'd be best to run and find shelter somewhere out of the way.

I could hear the deep bellowing roar of Raging Form clashing with the high screeching roar of Infinite Zero, the sounds of combat crescendoing, making me turn for a moment to catch sight of Raging Form grabbing the Cyber Dragon with his glowing hand and unleashing a goddamn energy blast from it. The Star-vader was launched back and away, crushing a number of its own troops. It crushed more as it pushed itself back to its feet, screeching wordlessly at Raging Form as it stood to its full height and launched itself at the other dragon, scratching and biting the whole way. Raging Form staggered and roared, but did not falter, and brought it's jagged spear down on Infinite Zero's back.

I wanted to stay and watch, I really wanted to stay and watch, but that'd be like staying to watch Godzilla fight King Ghidorah from a block away, not a smart move and I should be running.

Getting back to the sprinting, and pulling at the arm of the Colony Maker, I run as fast a I can through the streets, intent on finding somewhere away from the battle.

I can't tell how far I've run or how long I've been running, but I'm fairly sure that I've covered a decent amount of ground. My body isn't sweating and I'm not feeling any physical tiredness from it, despite the fact that I'm fairly sure that I sprinted farther and faster than my record, while dragging someone behind me. I wasn't breathing hard even though I knew I should be panting and gasping for air, my arms and legs didn't ache, and dear god was it weird!

Looking to the Colony Maker, I was about to ask to see if she was okay when she spoke up, "Query: Why did you not lend your aid to Star-vader, Infinite Zero Dragon? Assertion: As a Barrier Star-vader, Promethium, you would have been able to provide invaluable support that might have allowed Star-vader, Infinite Zero Dragon to defeat the enemy identified as Revenger, Raging Form Dragon."

"Well… I panicked, I mean, did you see what was happening there? It was insane!" I want to shake her to get my point across, doesn't she understand how crazy that battle was?

She quirked an eyebrow as she studied me, before replying, "Realization: You are feeling emotions such as fear, that is the source of your confusion and reluctance. Assertion: Once you have been reprocessed, you shall not feel such things that might interfere with your purpose. Reassurance: All will be well."

My mouth shut with a click as my teeth clattered together.

That's right, the Star-vaders never really showed much individuality, emotion, or personality, outside of a few of the units that are known to be high ranked and valued over their peers. Why would I, apparently a Perfect Guard at the moment, show any sort of personality or emotion seeing as I wasn't that important to the Link Joker as a whole.

I was about to speak when another crash interrupted me.

Looking about the cause was quite obvious.

A giant robot coloured in metals of blue, red, gold, and white had been slammed into a building, where they were struggling to keep the sword in their manipulator steady. A sudden roaring sound, and another giant mech had swooped in and grabbed it by the throat, this new mech a tall white, orange, red, and black tiger like construct.

These two, they can't be anyone other than the Ultimate Dimensional Robo, Great Daiyusha for the one that's primarily blue, and the other is the Deadliest Beast Deity, Ethics Buster Яeverse.

Shit, I ran from one battle right into another.

I was about to try and run away again, only for the sound of laughter to stop me short. It was clicking and high, and I turned to look at the source and saw despair.

Descending from the sky behind Ethics Buster was a cybernetic dragon coloured in white, black, red, and gold, a large crimson black bladed scythe held across its body, and a sickeningly wide grin painted across its maw. It touched down in such a way that the road didn't crack beneath its feet and stepped towards the mech crashed halfway through the building and spoke in a high, grating voice, "Now then, have you considered surrendering? I can promise that we of the Star-vaders shall spare the inhabitants of Star Gate."

"Y-you lie." Daiyusha coughed as he struggled against Ethics Buster's grip.

The cybernetic dragon shook its head, as it replied, "Nonsense, nonsense. I would be more than happy to swear it to you, I nor my Star-vaders will hurt those who live in Star Gate."

I could see the hope lighting up in Daiyusha's eyes. I want to shout at him not to accept, it's a trick of some sort, but I keep quiet. As much as I want to help, I don't want to die.

The Dimensional robot nodded, "Then so long as you swear not to hurt any of the ones living in Star Gate…"

"Good, good, I so swear that I shall not harm the inhabitants of Star Gate…" The dragon announced as it took a step towards the mech and placed a claw on the mech's chin, moving his head to get a better look at it. The dragon then burst out laughing as it continued its speech, "That's what you'll be for, after all!"

As Daiyusha began to buck and panic, shouting about the dragon's lies, crimson and black lines raced up the dragon's arm and stream into Daiyusha. As the mech went rigid and then collapsed, his body having been died black, gold, and red, meaning that he was now the Dark Dimensional Robo, Яeverse Daiyusha.

As the dragon stepped away from Daiyusha and forced Ethics Buster to do the same, the newly corrupted mech stood to his full height. The dragon spoke to it, "I'm glad that you're ready to serve us Daiyusha, your job will be the subjugation and pacification of Star Gate, as you wanted. We of the Star-vader's shan't touch them as they are your jurisdiction. Hunt them all down and bring them together, unite Star Gate underneath your rule, and by extension, the rule of Link Joker."

The Dark Dimensional Robo simply nodded, and the dragon simply shot off into the sky with Ethics Buster trailing behind it.

The corrupted Daiyusha strode away, his every step leaving a deep imprint in the road as he went.

I stared after the dragon, and muttered, "Chaos Breaker Dragon, the Clown of the Star-vaders, he gave hope and then snatched it away."

My favourite card in all of Vanguard, he even managed to pull that trick of his off on me just now.

 **AN: Welcome to the SI that I'm working on at the moment, which is into the Cray Continuity of Cardfight! Vanguard's lore. I suppose you could say that I've been a bit inspired by the various good SIs I've seen on SpaceBattles recently (you should know who they are), and decided to throw my hat into the ring. If you're confused, don't worry, I'll be going a bit into the state of Cray with the next chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2: Drawing Lines

**Chapter 2: Drawing lines**

Holing up in an abandoned apartment wasn't something I'd done before, nor was it something I could profess to having aspired towards, it was however where I ended up with the Colony Maker. Sitting in the currently dark apartment, I stared at the gynoid sitting opposite me and asked, "Can you give me a run down of the state of the war, and how Cray's sitting in it?"

"Query: May I ask as to the reasoning behind your inquiry?" The Star-vader asked as she gave me that same expressionless but questioning look, it's honestly sort of cute. Now that I'm not in the middle of a battlefield with death on all sides, I can freely admit that the gynoid who'd ended up sharing my shelter was attractive. Stop being cute Colony Maker, you're the tool of a regime that's intent on enslaving entire races and wiping out planets, you have no right to be this cute.

Running my hand through these goddamn luxurious locks of hair that I recently became attached to, and making sure to skewer my hand on the horn jutting from my forehead, I banish those thoughts. Instead focusing on the issue at present, I reply, "Simple, I need to know the state of Cray before I can figure out how to proceed from here. It's all a matter of intel, you know?"

"Assertion: Understood, in that case this Star-vader, Colony Maker will pass on what is known at this time." She answered, her expression remaining unmoving as she then continued, "Query: Where would you like to begin?"

"Let's start with the Link Joker, what's going on with them and their positioning at the moment?" Better to start with the main problem, isn't it?

"Statement: The Link Joker currently hold much of Star Gate, and with the Яeversal of Daiyusha, it can be expected for them to use Star Gate as their main launch site and staging area for the Invasion. Assertion: At this time, that is all that is known about the Link Joker's current holdings on Cray." She answered promptly, nodding a bit as she finished.

Alright, best to escape from Star Gate then, given that I'm trying to avoid the Star-vaders at the moment. Digesting that information, I continue my questioning, deciding that I may as well get my favourites out of the way first, "What about Magellenica? What's their status?"

"Statement: Magellenica is currently providing heavy resistance from all clans native to it, even the Bermuda Triangle despite their usual workings." The Aqua Force and Granblue I expected to be in the thick of it, given their natures as a military force and a clan of pirates… But who'd have thought that the pop idol mermaids would put up that much of a fight… I gotta give it to them then, they've got spunk.

Nodding a bit more, I closed my eyes and asked, "And what can you tell me about the Dark Zone?"

"Statement: The Dark Zone is mostly untouched at this point, but it is known that one Silver Thorn Dragon Tamer, Luquier of the Pale Moon clan has been Яeversed and that one Demon World Marquis, Amon of the Dark Irregulars clan has been in contact with Star-vader, Chaos Breaker Dragon. Statement: It is unknown as to how the Spike Brothers clan is acting at this moment." Damn, so Chaos Breaker has already gotten to Luquier, and it looks like Amon is already considering submitting himself to Яeversal for more power… Fuck, this isn't going to be pretty…

Swallowing, I forge onward, "United Sanctuary then?"

"Statement: The United Sanctuary is currently one of the strongest opponents that the Link Joker have in their war, every clan sending their armies out to combat the Star-vaders. Statement: Star-vader, Chaos Breaker Dragon has put a bounty on the head of Blazing Lion, Platina Ezel of the Gold Paladin clan, given his interference with earlier missions to subvert or cripple Cray." Sounds about right, although it's good to hear that Chaos Breaker's yet to get his hands on Ashlei or Ramiel.

Scratching at my chin, I ask, "Do we know anything about the Dragon Empire?"

"Statement: The Dragon Empire is the other major source of resistance, but they have taken a heavy blow recently, as Eradicator, Vowing Sword Dragon has been Яeversed in a recent skirmish with a unit led by Star-vader, Nebula Lord Dragon. Cautiously: It is rumoured that there is a plan for an infiltration of some kind, but it is not confirmed." So Vowing's already been caught, and it seems that they plan to activate Hyakki Vogue soon… That'll be a right mess when it finally blows wide open.

Sighing, I'm about to ask about the last nation when she cuts me off, "Statement: The Nation of Zoo has made no movements in either direction, but it is believed that they are currently observing and building up their forces, but there is only observations from deep cover agents that suggest this, and even then they are only vaguely worded."

Alright, so that's the shape of things then… Bugger it all, I'm going to eat something, I always think better on a full stomach, and I haven't eaten all day either. I'm not even really hungry… maybe it's because of Promethium's body or something? Whatever.

Sending a look at the Colony Maker, I tell her, "I'm going to raid this place's kitchen, you want anything?"

"Query: Why do this when you do not need to do so in order to survive? Assertion: It is illogical for you to do so." Again with the logic.

I shake my head, giving her what I think is a smile, "Because it's not about logic, it's about me and what I want. I want to eat, so I will. If I want to sleep, then I will. If I wanted to shower, then I would, in fact I plan to. As simple and complex as that."

"Assertion: I, this Star-vader, Colony Maker, does not understand what this all means." She murmured, looking about as downcast as she can manage without actually changing expressions.

She looks kind of like a kicked puppy, and I do have some empathy, so I walked over and put my hand on her head. Patting the top of her head, mussing her hair a bit, I say, "Then stick with me for a while, maybe you'll figure it out."

"Assertion: Then I, Star-vader, Colony Maker, shall follow you, Barrier Star-vader, Promethium, until you return for reprocessing." She perked up at that, not smiling, but I'll take what I can get.

And talking about taking what I can get… "Don't call me that, if we're going to be going incognito, we can't announce that we're Star-vaders. Call me… Trent, Trent Blackmore."

It's a name that I've used before for a few usernames and for a few characters in D&D so it should be easy enough to get used to wearing. The Colony Maker then spoke up, "Query: What is the pseudonym for this unit?"

"I'll think of something, so let's just settle in here for the night. Now, do you want anything to eat?" I ask as I head for the kitchen, may as well use what ever they left, maybe leave a note to say sorry about it.

Her voice called out from the sitting room, "Assertion: That is not necessary."

"Suit yourself." I shoot back as I survey the small kitchenette, complete with stove, microwave, and fridge.

I nearly tripped when her voice drifted in, "Assertion: I am already wearing my suit, and your assistance would not be necessary."

After recovering from that and working on putting together what I'm fairly sure is a roast beef sandwich (at least I think it's beef, do they even have cows on Cray? A question for another time, I suppose), I consider my own situation and that of Cray.

The Star-vaders, the forerunners of the Link Joker and the Void are invading Cray with the intention of not only perfecting Яeverse, but also destroying their world.

Star Gate, home of the Nova Grapplers and the Dimension Police had basically already fallen to Link Joker with the Яeversal of two of their major units. Given that this place will be under Star-vader control, it would be best to hightail it out of here, and come back later, if at all.

Magellenica is basically in control of Cray's oceans, even though they only claim a few archipelagos and islands as their territory. The Aqua Force is a clan that values Justice above all other things and it used to resemble the Marines from One Piece back when Maelstrom first appeared and the Royal and Shadow Paladins, along with Kagero were sealed away. The Granblue are zombie pirates, and that's about all they have to them at the moment. The Bermuda Triangle… they're mermaid pop idols, the fact that they're giving the Link Joker trouble is actually hilarious.

The Dark Zone is home to three clans at the moment, and once the threat of the Star-vaders and the Deletors is dealt with the time and space warping clan called Gear Chronicle will appear. As it stands, the Dark Irregulars, demons, misfits, and monsters of all kinds, are going to be trouble due to Amon's thirst for more power, which will be offered to him in the form of Яeverse. The Pale Moon, a group of assassins disguised as a circus, has already been hit which means that Luquier's using her Mystic Eye to enslave things, which is trouble enough. There wasn't anything about the Spike Brothers, a clan based around the bloodiest sport on Cray called Bloodball, but they seemed to be rather low profile compared to the others in their nation…

The United Sanctuary, home to some of the more powerful clans on Cray, and definitely one of the places that'll be fortified against the Link Joker for a while to come. The Royal Paladins… if I remember correctly, they were currently under the command of either Ashlei or Salome of the Jewel Knights and Ashlei will be Яeversed soon enough. The Shadow Paladins were currently following the guidance of Dragruler Phantom, under the guise of Mordred Phantom, with all of them taking up the sub-clan of Revenger. Created when both of the prior clans were sealed away were the Gold Paladins, led by Ezel, and like the Shadow Paladins, they likely wouldn't have a unit get Яeversed. The Oracle Think Tank wouldn't do too much over the course of the war, I don't know what they'd actually end up doing but perhaps they'd use their business ventures to benefit the war effort. Then there was Genesis, who'd be led into war by Omniscience Regalia, Minerva and they'd be pretty effective. Last but not least of the United Sanctuary clans is the Angel Feather, and they're current leader Prophecy Celestial, Ramiel, would be Яeversed.

Dragon Empire, which borders the United Sanctuary, is one of the largest nations and will be hit pretty hard by the Link Joker. The Kagero, currently led by Dauntless Drive Dragon, would be left for a sometime without a leader because Dauntless would be Яeversed and their old leader, Dragonic Overlord, is dead at the moment, but he'd get better. The Narukami would be hit hard in the beginning by the Яeversal of Vowing Saber, but they'd redeem themselves latter because of the actions of the Eradicators. The two ninja clans, Murakumo and Nubatama would be fighting, because of Hyakki Vogue would reveal himself to be a plant and then go to be Яeversed. The Tachikaze apparently would be mooks for the most part.

That left Zoo for last. The university of Great Nature would be hit hard by their current leader, Leo-pald, getting Яeversed. The Neonectar would also have a unit get Яeversed, but their main fighting force of the Musketeers would be fine. The Megacolony wouldn't make too much noise, but the Machinings would pop up near the end of the war.

I need to plan out what I'm going to do, I'll need some time.

"Query: Barrier Star-vader, Promethium, is there an issue?" That shook me from my thoughts, causing me to peek out of the kitchenette to look at the Colony Maker.

I shook my head, replying, "It's fine, it's fine."

{~}{~}

Stepping out of the bathroom, having found that I could in fact remove the bodysuit, I shook my hair a bit and noticed that the Colony Maker was staring at me. Giving her a cautious look, I asked, "Something wrong?"

"Assertion: No. Query: Why did you bathe when it wasn't necessary?" She replied, giving me what could pass for a scrutinizing look. Figures that the more mechanical Star-vaders would view things as either necessary or unnecessary.

I simply answered, "I already told you, because I wanted to."

"Assertion: This subject of doing something because one wants to is… difficult…" Her face is almost screwed up in concentration, the only indication being a slight furrowing of her brow which is sort of adorable,

"You'll get it eventually." I wave off her concerns as I lie down on one of the couches in the sitting room, and consider falling asleep.

It's weird to not be tired, to not feel hunger or thirst. Maybe I should sleep, but I can't if there's a chance that the Colony Maker will contact the Star-vaders.

Sighing, I sit up and look at where she's sitting, unmoving in her observation of me. As her mouth opens to ask a question, I preempt her, "I'm just considering what we'll do tomorrow."

"Query: What plans have you made?"

I should have expected that.

Running a hand through my hair (damn all the people born with naturally thick hair, even more now that I know how great it is), and answer, "We're going dark from the Link Joker for one, and after we put together some disguises, we'll hop aboard an evacuation vessel toward Zoo, and then we'll head to the Dragon Empire. From there, we'll search out Nouvelle Vague."

"Query: Why would we search out Transcendence Dragon, Dragonic Nouvelle Vague?" Another expected question.

I answer easily with the half-truth I'd thought out, "Nouvelle's the only known being currently alive on Cray with the rank of four in power, I want to know why."

"Assertion: Acceptable." The Colony Maker nodded, seemingly accepting it without doubt.

It's part of the reason, but the real reason is because I want to see if I can figure out Stride or, known by its other name, Interdimensional Crosstalk. If I can unleash it, then not only will it turn the tables on the Star-vaders, but it might help me get home.

Gotta risk it for the biscuit, right?

 _NOTE: Special thanks to AbZHz101 and Peanut.007 on SpaceBattles for their work betaing this chapter!_


	3. Chapter 3: Something in the Water

**Chapter 3: There's Something in the Water (Protip: It's Mermaids)**

Sitting on a crowded boat, beside someone who may or may not betray me in the near future, while being escorted by a pack of mermaids, is a rather surreal experience. If it weren't for the fact that the Colony Maker had spent most of the night and a good chunk of the morning putting together disguises and backstories, I'd probably be a lot more jumpy. But even then, I can probably just blame the invasion for that, right?

The Colony Maker and I had shucked our bodysuits and scavenged clothes that -while they didn't fit perfectly- fit well enough to make it appear that any discomfort was due to nerves. The cyberoid bodies we have (and that's disconcerting) are geared towards stealth, and they came equipped with the ability to change the colour of our eyes and some minor facial details if need be. This fact allowed for her and I to coordinate our disguises to appear as if we were related, and facilitated our story of being siblings (Me being the older, but a bit more restless one and her being the younger, sadly born deaf one) fleeing to stay with our parents who had retired to the west coast of Zoo's northern island.

I was currently sitting near one of the railings on the starboard of a decently large passenger ship, the Star-vader having gone to investigate the ship under the guise of looking for a bathroom… Or a vending machine, I didn't have a good grasp of the sign language she was using, but we're able to improvise pretty well if push comes to shove.

Why was the Colony Maker pretending to be unable to hear, and speak properly in her own right? Because that habit of her saying what she she intended her words to be made it a bit difficult for her to blend in with people.

She returned soon enough, not bearing any form of food or drink, so I guess it was a bathroom trip. As she sat down next to me, her face away from everyone, she murmured in my ear, "Statement: Aurora Star, Coral is on the ship, apparently having decided to quell any nerves with her presence."

I make a low humming noise, not very loud, but enough to be considered a simple noise of exertion as I scooted over, trying to make it look natural. Luckily (and somewhat surprisingly), we didn't stick out too much, except for the Colony Maker's 'disability', and even then only the crew member who welcomed us aboard really knew…

Still, Coral's a powerful member of the Bermuda Triangle, and game mechanics wise, the Bermuda's are a pain to deal with as they constantly bounce on and off the field. What that actually means for Coral, I've no clue. What I do know, is that she's leading the group guarding a ship carrying refugees, something that they wouldn't allow just anyone to do. If she approaches us, we'll have to hope that she doesn't cotton on to us…

{~}{~}

You know those times when you're really feeling the crunch? When you're being pressed in on from all sides and there's no where to escape from it? Well, that's what it feels like to be an introvert on a crowded ship, looking after a sentient weapon from an army hellbent on the enslavement of an entire planet's population and the destruction of the planet itself.

Well, there's actually a good deal of panic mixed in, seeing as the bloody Colony Maker had decided to wander off while I was grabbing some food. This meant that I had abandoned the food in the room we'd been assigned to before bustling out and searching for her, jogging around the ship looking for the wayward Star-vader. If it weren't for the fact that I remembered that our cover involved her pretending to be deaf, I'd have been shouting.

I wasn't really watching for anybody, which is probably why I ran right into someone and fell back on my ass. Cursing a little under my breath, I scrambled to stand up, only to pause when a melodious voice cut through my thoughts.

"Excuse me, are you okay?"

Looking up at the source, I'm perfectly able to admit that I feel a bit like a school boy as I take in the sight of her. Long, blue hair cascading down her shoulders, kind blue eyes set above full lips, a heart shaped face, and a body that could only be defined as stacked. If this is Coral, then dear god, what is with the beautiful people on this planet?

"Hey, are you okay?"

Snapping out of my stupor, I gave a quick jitter before answering, "Yeah… I mean, yeah! Yup, I'm okay!"

"Glad to hear it!" She's smiling now, a small grin as she bends a bit and offers her hand to help me get up. Grabbing the proffered appendage, I expect to see her list a little as I pull myself up, instead, she hauls me to my feet with ease.

I stumble a little at the sudden change in position, but I'm able to keep my footing. Oh no, she's strong too! If she princess carries me, she'll own my heart!

"Um? Are you sure you're okay?" She's giving me a questioning smile, and I've been spacing out, haven't I? Bugger.

Shaking my head, I answer, "Yeah, I'm fine, just a bit distracted…"

"Oh? Is something the matter?" She asks, and damn it, she's tilting her head to the side cutely, it's super cute. But it makes me wonder, is it a conscious action, an ingrained one, or a natural action? Maybe a result of years of bing an idol? Gah, I can't afford to be distracted, there's a rogue Star-vader on the loose!

Wait, aren't I the rogue Star-vader at this point?

…Screw it.

…And she's staring at me again. Scratching at the back of my head, I manage, "Well, I'm looking for my sister. I went to go get food for the two of us, but when I got back to our room, she wasn't there."

"Did you try calling for her?" She asked, frowning a little as she thought over what I said.

At this point, it's a bit difficult not to sound snarky, "A little difficult to broadcast sign language."

"Well that's tru- Oh, you mean she's deaf?" Ah yes, the look of dawning realization, it seems that mermaid idols are just as capable of it as us unwashed masses.

Nodding, it's about all I can do seeing as I'm feeling like I'm about to puke from the nerves of lying to someone who could likely crush me, I said, "Yeah, if she wasn't, I'd probably be shouting like a moron."

"Mm, that would definitely stir up some trouble~" she answered, a thoughtful frown drifting across her face. Straightening up, she burst out into a smile, "Well then, I'll help you find her!"

What.

"I said that I'm going to help you find your sister, but maybe she's not the only one who's hard of hearing, eh?" Oh, I said that out loud. Bugger. Well.

Isn't this getting dangerous? I mean, yeah, she's offering to help me find the Colony Maker, but do I want to risk that? Oh fuck it. Shaking my head, I answer, "Well, if you're sure… I mean, don't you have to lead the escort forces, though?"

"Heh, the perks of being in charge include delegating things!" She cheered, beaming at me.

Is that something she can do? That sounds really irresponsible! I open my mouth to tell her as much, but she cuts me off, "Don't look down on idols. We're quite powerful despite our occupations, and besides those girls aren't slackers who'll let anything happen while they're on the job!"

"Alright, alright," I reply, holding my hands up in surrender. Apparently, she's made an executive decision and I'm going to have to live with it. Oh well, time to find the Colony Maker. Straightening up, I nod my head in the direction she came from, "I already checked all around behind me, so I was going to check down the way you came, is that alright?"

"Of course! Now, let's go find your sister!" She cheered, wheeling on her heel after flashing a grin at me. How can people so peppy exist?

{~}{~}

"…I mean, that's just thing, you're a very talented singer and all, but I'm not really into the J-Pop sort of music that you and the rest of the Bermudas specialize in," I explained to the mermaid as we walked through the halls of the ship. Shaking my head, I continue, "I tend to prefer music that's more on the rock side of things. Of course, I'm also a giant nerd who likes video game soundtracks."

"Well, everyone is entitled to their own tastes, even if they aren't the best," Coral sniffed primly, apparently deciding that she could forgive me for not being too into idols and their ilk, though the small smile on her face betrayed her amusement.

I was about to retort when I caught sight of my quarry, giving a wave at the Colony Maker, I nodded to my new acquaintance before declaring, "Looks like we'll have to put our conversation on hold, that's my sister."

In the Star-vader's hands, there were a few bundles of food meaning that she had also gone to get some food while I was in the bathroom. Why would she? I said that I was going to, and seeing as she doesn't believe in eating, it just makes no sense. Her face screwed up into an approximation of a rueful grimace, trotting over and shoving the food into my hands. She signed what I understood to be irritation at me, as well as questioning why I was there. Either that or she was going on about the food choices. If we're going to keep this act up, I'm going to have to get better at sign language or we're just going to have to go with her being mute.

…Why didn't we do that in the first place?

I was about to shove the food back into her hands to reply, when Coral started signing, apparently introducing herself and saying that she kept me out of trouble. Well, that or that she had made sure to get me into trouble. The Colony Maker's face shifted into a facsimile of a smile -it looked so plastic- she and the mermaid started avidly signing to one another.

Shaking my head, I can't help but wonder how the rest of the trip is going to go…

 _NOTE: Anywho, thanks as always to AbZHz101 and Peanut.007 for their work betaing this chapter!_


	4. Chapter 4: Under the Sea

**Chapter 4: Under the Sea (There is… What the Christ?)**

Spending three days on a boat, in close quarters with a gynoid who hit the far end of the uncanny valley —just before breaking out though— and apparently having fostered a friendship with an incredibly powerful mermaid pop idol, was not how I expected to spend this trip.

Actually, it's a trip I never expected to make. I mean, who expects to make a trip from a country situated on the South Pole of a planet to a jungle country called Zoo of all things.

Jesus Christ, what has happened to my life over the past five days? Seriously, I go to bed one night after having beaten Dark Souls 3, and I wake up in the body of a unit on Cray!

Bringing a hand to my face, I stare at the reflection in the mirror. That is not my face, those are not my eyes—

Shaking my head, I look away, it doesn't do to dwell on matters like that.

Walking out of the bathroom, I told the Star-vader, "Bathroom's open, if you care."

"Statement: No, the sentiment is appreciated, but this unit does not require decontamination," the gynoid replied as she sat at a porthole, staring out across the water.

Eying her for a moment, I couldn't help but wonder what's so fascinating outside the view so I asked, "What's so interesting about the view?"

"Statement: Nothing, this unit is simply… wary," the way that she trailed off there, it's disconcerting to hear her sound like she's unsure.

I stare for a moment before shaking my head. Can't get too nervous here, might make people suspicious. Out loud, I reply, "I guess there's a first time for everything."

"Statement: Your sarcasm is noted," the Star-vader deadpanned, somehow managing to give me an aggrieved look.

I don't know how she managed that, so I shake my head as I get ready for the day. We were apparently due to make port today, which means that I'll need to figure out a way to make it to the Dragon Empire. Coral had recommended taking the train, citing the fact that planes apparently weren't safe from the Star-vaders.

It's kind of terrifying to find out that the invaders had apparently taken to knocking airplanes out of the sky whenever they could. Are they trying to hype themselves up as 'EVIIILLLLLLL'? If it weren't horrifying on a war crimes level, I'd probably laugh.

A day or so by high speed train wasn't too risky, and the money that we'd… scavenged from the apartment building we'd spent the night in would hopefully be enough to pay for the trip. Should being the operative word.

{~}{~}

Pretty much everybody likes hugs, right?

So why is it that I'm feeling incredibly self-conscious from this goodbye hug that I'm on the receiving end of?

Oh right, because Coral decided to pull me and the Colony Maker into a hug just after we cleared the ramp we used to disembark from the ship.

While we were in the middle of a good sized group of people.

People who were now staring at us, and a few were taking photos. The pricks.

After what felt like far too long, the idol released us and smiled at up at us, "Alright you two, take care of each other while you're traveling! If you don't, who knows what might happen!"

"We definitely will, but shouldn't you be more worried about yourself? You're doing stuff like escorting ships, what if you actually get attacked during a mission like that?" As much as I want to scold her for that sort of thing… I'm the same way with my friends. If she's going to worry about us while saving people, then it's only right that I worry about her.

Also, this woman has the ability to grow on people better than a barnacle on a rock, I'm thinking of her as a friend and I've only known her for a few days. I'm not someone who goes out of his way to shun people but I'll admit to not being the best at making friends.

"Now then," she continued, jolting me out of my thoughts, "you two should get going. You have a train to catch, you know?"

"Yeah, we do. Hopefully we'll see you again when all this is over," I answered. And you know what? I meant it, Coral's good people.

{~}{~}

I sat with my head in my hands, not looking at the Colony Maker sitting across from me in the compartment as I swallowed the frustrated scream building in my throat.

It's not that we didn't make the train, no, we made it perfectly on time and boarded the train with no issues.

It's the goddamn fact that the train was underwater.

Not through a tunnel that ran underwater, but the train itself ran underwater. Just like, a normal train that ran underwater, it must be magic.

Goddamn it Cray, I didn't expect something this ridiculous. What are these people using magic for? Why not something like… I don't know, better defences for their planes?

"Query: Are you unwell or malfunctioning?" The Star-vader asked, her head cocked to the side as if it would help her study me.

Pulling my head up to lock eyes with her as I retorted, "If it weren't for the fact that I'm pretty damn sure that you don't have any emotions, I'd think you were mocking me."

 _AN: Sorry about how late this was everyone, life's been pretty real for me and I've also been wasting my time playing Overwatch… and Force of Will… and trying to build Gavrail-Rescue (I vow to one day become the problem with Vanguard). But here we are, and the next chapter might be something quite different. And as always, thanks to AbZHz101 and Peanut.007 for their help. I'll try and get the next part out much faster, mmkay?_


	5. Interlude 1x Coral

**Interlude 1.x**

"So then, you've nothing to report from your mission?" a voice that reminded the mermaid of sand grinding against rock asked from behind a desk sized for a creature hundreds of times her size. The furniture made it a bit difficult to see the figure behind it, which could serve to make him all the more intimidating to those who were unprepared. "Hmph... I suppose no news is good news." The deep, growling voice paused for a moment before speaking up again, "If there's nothing else, then you can feel free to head out for some downtime."

Coral chuckled around the bite of burger in her mouth, nodding along as she finished her debriefing. Swallowing the mouthful, she perked up as she remembered something and asked, "Hey, you ever heard of a genre of music called J-Pop?"

The figure behind the desk stopped in his movements, an oversized pen stopping in a claw as an orange eye locked onto her. The dragon eyed her, pausing in his administrative duties. "I am aware of the genre, but I'm rather curious at how you learned of it," the dragon was surprisingly grave as he questioned her, laying the pen down and clasping his claws in front of his snout.

Coral nodded, absently flicking her tail. "Well, when I was running escort duty, I made friends with one of the people on the ship and we got to talking about music. He ended up saying that he didn't really care for idol music or as he called it, 'J-Pop'. I forgot about it in the whole flurry of stuff I had to get done after that, but when I remembered, I figured I'd ask you since you're pretty worldly!"

"It's for the best, I suppose," he sighed, closing his eyes in thought as he decided on his explanation. He leaned back in his chair and took a bracing breath, before he continued, "J-Pop is not so much a genre as it is a sub-genre. In this case, being a way of classifying Pop music that comes out of the country of Japan on the planet Earth. I'm sure you understand as to why I am apprehensive? However, we have seen that certain beings have come through the Star Gate from worlds besides the Earth which we are connected. You were escorting them from Star Gate, yes?"

"Yup, no doubt… but there's also…" Coral began, a grimace of contemplation on her face as she kneaded a fist into her cheek.

The dragon nodded, his eyes closing for a moment before he gave her a steady gaze and spoke. "Indeed, there's a chance that he could be some odd attempt by the Star-vaders to sneak a spy by us, but something so far fetched as this is more than a bit outside their observed operational parameters."

"You mean disguising them as a human? Because they snuck a lot of agents in as humanoids before the invasion," Coral opined her normally bright voice getting softer as she continued, considering the dragon's words.

Tetra-drive nodded, but gesticulated with his hand to note that there was something else to his thoughts as he swivelled in his chair. When he was parallel to the desk, he continued. "There's more to it than that. Given the fact that they don't appear to be moving in a manner that should attract attention... From the patterns we noticed in the original agents, Star-Vader plants would simply appear near the general location of their targets, and try to assimilate into the culture until they were tapped and then proceed to wreak havoc. Where did they say they were headed?"

"They said they were headed to the edge of the Dragon Empire, where they apparently have family," The mermaid replied, brow furrowed and arms folded as she considered what it could mean.

The Blue Wave Dragon continued nodding, with his eyes closed, pieces mentally falling into place as he addressed them aloud, "It is a good place to land for access... Not just to the Dragon Empire, but also the Dark Zone and United Sanctuary. If they're saboteurs, it's a great staging ground. If the male is a human from Earth, then it could allow him access to meet with important figures like King Alfred, and, if he's from an Earth that has contact to Cray akin to my Vanguard's connection, he could be seeking out King Alfred in search of protection or a way home."

"But what do we do? We can't assume that they're Star-vaders, but we can't assume that they're not Star-vaders. That's the real issue," Coral murmured, crossing her arms beneath her chest as she pondered.

The dragon grunted, swivelling forward again, "Indeed. Actually, I have an idea. See to your own business for now, I'm going to make some calls. Should any missions come up that are suitable for you, you'll be notified."

"Yes sir, Admiral, sir!" Coral chuckled, spinning and leaving the office with her mind in a tizzy.

Were her new friends Star-vaders? Would they shuck off their personas and someone would need to put them down when they started to kill the residents of Cray?

Outside the view of others, Coral of the Bermuda ∆ clicked her tongue, frustration crawling up her features.

Interlude 1.x Coral End

 _AN ver 2: This is being updated because I took a look at the actual published version and it was an utter mess for some reason, why did no one tell me?!_


	6. Chapter 5 - Volcanic Valley Slide

**Chapter 5: Volcanic Valley Slide (A Variation of the Misty Mountain Hop)**

"Utterly bullshit," I mutter as I trudge out into the sunlight, the bustle and noise of a city sounding like a comforting caress in comparison to the occasional disconcerting burble when the (underwater) train was speeding along to our current location.

I caught sight of the Colony Maker in the corner of my eye, but I swear that her blank gaze was judging me. Fuck you. You don't get to judge me and my fear of being in open water, you've never nearly been drowned.

The port of Dragon Empire was not what I was expecting.

Rather than a craggy land with a few sparse stalls or lean-tos, it resembled a resort town with people of all sorts of species bustling hither and thither some of them inspecting wares and others hawking them. There were shops and stalls, as well as apartment buildings in the main part of town. They ranged from what would fit a normal human to even dragon sized buildings, which is pretty impressive if you consider the physics of it…

Huh.

Expected more fire and volcanos.

I blame Overlord.

Moving on, we needed information about how to get to Nouvelle's territory and how long it would take. Walking might be an option, but I'm fairly sure that the Dragon Empire's about the same size as Russia, if not larger, so screw walking that much.

Making my way over to one of the stalls, the Colony Maker hovering a little bit behind me, I give the (human) man behind the counter a smile as I start, "Hey, I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?"

"Of course, of course! By the looks of it, you just came in from the train? Quite the ride, I've heard, of course, it's not for me, too deep underwater!" The man laughs, well at least he's a jolly one, and someone who understands my own issues with the train.

I nod a bit before gesturing to the Star-vader, and ask, "Thanks, you see, my sister and I are heading to our parents' place on the other side of the Empire and were thinking about stopping in Nouvelle's territory to pray for some protection. We've been lucky so far, but with how close we've gotten to the Star-vaders… well, maybe some divine protection won't hurt."

"Ah, I see, you're on one of the convoys leaving from the main square?" I nod quickly as he says that and he continues on, "Well, if you're looking for offerings, I have these carvings that dropped out of a strange wormhole some time ago, no one has been able to to identify them but they're quite interesting."

He gestured to some carvings on the shelf, depicting some odd looking creatures. Four of them looked like they had shells on them that could close to make them look like an animal of some sort, those being a rooster, a shelled crustacean, a bull, or… a whale of some sort? The other two almost caused me to choke, because no matter how I looked at them, they were the mascot Pokémon for Sun and Moon, oh my god, how did this happen?

Ignoring my urge to burst out laughing, I asked, "How much for the lion and bat looking ones?"

"Hmm, how about Thirty-five Credits for both of them?" He answered after some thought, I nodded and rifled through my pockets for the wallet I'd… appropriated, pulling out slips of thin plastic that apparently were the currency of this world, and counted out the amount he'd asked for. With that, he passed me the carvings as I pushed the credits towards him, finalizing the deal.

Thanking the man again, we made our way to what appeared to be the main square based off the number of people congregating there, as well as the number of trucks and vans parked there. Strolling about a bit, marveling at the sheer diversity present, I smile.

"Time to find us a ride, yeah?" I ask aloud, swivelling to give the Colony Maker a grin.

The only answer I got was a curt nod and an impassive stare.

She… still needs to work on faking emotions.

{~}{~}

Time passes surprisingly quickly when all you can really do is eat, sleep, watch the scenery passing by at surprising speeds, and talk to someone that won't respond.

It's been about five days since we first hopped aboard the convoy, but thankfully for my sanity, the end (of the first half) was at hand!

The convoy was slowing to a halt, the sight of a massive Greco-Roman looking temple looming over most everything in the scenery.

Tripping out of the truck as it finally stops, I nearly eat dirt in my joy to be outside, but that's fine. The Colony Maker simply strides quietly behind me, pausing as I recover before following me as I move to explore the various stalls and groupings outside the temple.

There's a number of refreshment booths, even a small café, as well as a number of buskers performing their acts where they had space. As I pass by a dragonman doing a fire dancing display, he fumbles one of the batons he's lit, the fire on the ends winking out (magic?) as it falls through the air.

Instincts born of my previous job flare up, and I snatch the tumbling rod out of the air before it can hit the ground. Heat stabs through my palm even as my fingers close around the bar, I quickly hand it back to the performer and wave away his thanks, hurrying away to a relatively deserted area.

"Fuck!"

It took a lot to keep from shouting that in the middle of the crowd, but away from the majority, I feel comfortable enough to cuss and shake my hand, blinking away the pain from what is probably a new burn on this body. I turn, and the Colony Maker is there, silently watching me as I pause and stare at my hand.

It had _hurt_ , burned immediately on contact.

It was weird, in a way. I guess I had always doubted that I had actually been on Cray, a dream of it maybe, but to actually there.

I doubt therefore I am, and all that.

But Jesus take the wheel, did that burn like the fire I fell into when I was ten, it burned too real for my tastes of escapism.


	7. Chapter 6 - Drake Eater

**Chapter 6: Drake Eater (The SI of Liberty)**

Night's fallen at this point, and all of us have made our offerings for blessings, so, many of the visitors have either started on the next leg of their journey or gone to sleep for the night. As for me, I've made the horrible decision to infiltrate Nouvelle Vague's residence in order to actually speak with the dragon. I left the Colony Maker back with the group, as both of us disappearing would probably garner too much attention, whereas they'd probably just dismiss my absence as me being on a trip to the head.

I'm lucky that it's a pretty cloudy night, the drifting clouds obscuring the many moons and planets that filled Cray's skies. Of course, I could do without the smell of sulphur in the air from the nearby volcanos, but on the other hand, it means that it's a warm night and hopefully that any nonhuman guards will have trouble smelling me.

With soft purposeful steps, I try and keep myself as much to the shadows as I can, creeping a good ways behind one of the patrolling guards.

It isn't too difficult to sneak around, you know? Step evenly but softly, breathe slowly and shallowly, keep to the shadows, and keep your shape inconspicuous. Easy.

The building I'm trying to get into is the complete opposite of the temple where we made our offerings, where it was clearly Greco-Roman inspired this one is just as obviously an old style Japanese building, scaled up to be big enough for a giant dragon.

When I make it a veranda, I'm quick to climb up and into the structure itself, my… new body makes it a lot easier to climb up.

…geez, these hallways are huge, like, they go up five stories. It's ridiculous, but I guess it makes sense if a dragon lives here.

Actually, that's useful for me, guards are less likely to notice small gaps, just because of the size disparity.

Wooden floors are more difficult to sneak on, shoes will click and bare feet will slap against the floor. Instead, I slip my shoes off and shove them in my pockets, letting my socks do the muffled walking.

I have to duck into a room or into the channel for the sliding doors in order to dodge the occasional guard, but they seem to be far fewer within Nouvelle's residence in comparison to the number patrolling the outside. Still, Nouvelle has a good variety of species working under them, I've seen humans, dragomen, and even a naga.

Still, I keep exploring until I feel something in change the air.

It's odd, you know?

Like, you see it all the time in anime, manga, books, and video games, how people can just feel a change in the atmosphere. But experiencing it for myself is terrifying, like suddenly gravity's increased threefold.

I look at the nearest door and swallow the lump in my throat.

Confidence, Trent, confidence.

Sliding the door open just enough for me to be able to slip inside, I do so and try and close it as quietly as I can.

" **Tell me, why shouldn't I just crush you, little intruder?** "

The voice that just spoke, while deep and rumbling, is undoubtably feminine.

Looking up, I can't help but stare at the dragon reclining on what looks like a couch, a stand bearing a huge book set up before her face.

Her scales are almost entirely red, but there are golden scales amongst them, but all of them bear a metallic tint. Her blue eyes are aglow with power, and it feels almost like she could destroy me just by focusing that gaze. Her form is sleek, but power radiates from her form, even though her I still feel like making a joke about how her legs just seem to go on and on. Her posture though, _that_ exudes power, annoyance, and curiosity… In that order.

There's no doubt, the dragon before me is the Transcendence Dragon, Dragonic Nouvelle Vague.

Breathing deeply, I answer, "Because I have future knowledge, and forbidden knowledge."

" **The future knowledge, while I'm definitely curious about it, I have to wonder what one so insignificant as you could consider 'forbidden knowledge,'** " The dragon rumbles, her eyes crinkling in amusement.

The pressure of her gaze seems to increase, and it feels like I have to struggle to breath but I still manage to answer, "Interdimensional Crosstalk and the existence of the Dark Zone Clan, Gear Chronicle, am I wrong in assuming that I have your attention now?"

" **It would seem that you do know something deep about this world, how then, I wonder?** " Nouvelle asks, leaning forward a bit to study me a bit more closely. But from the way her body fluidly rippled it was very clear that I was still on the razor edge of death.

Time to actually tell the truth.

"I… woke up in Star Gate about a week and a half ago, but on the Earth I call home we have a card game called "Cardfight! Vanguard," and we're a good ways ahead of the war against Link Joker. According to the lore around the time that I left, the disappearance of Gear Chronicle had something to do with the sealing of Interdimensional Crosstalk, although it was unsealed during by Harmonics Messiah when the Deletors attacked Cray," I explain, tripping over my words as I try and get the dragon to understand.

The dragon seems to consider my words. There was a slight swishing from her tail lazily flicking back and forth. I was about to let out a breath in relief before a single sentence stops me called, " **You aren't lying to me, but what are you hiding from me?** "

How?

How did she know?

I could lie, but I would probably die. I have no doubt that she'd be able to kill me in a moment.

"When I woke up in Star Gate, I didn't wake up in my own body, I woke up in the body of a Barrier Star-vader, Promethium," I admit it, it hurts a bit, if I'm honest. Even if I wasn't super handsome before, or as strong, I still can't help but miss my old body.

I'm sure that she's going to just reach down and swat me out of existence, but instead she simply asks, " **And why did you seek me out, if you claim to have future knowledge? Why not inform those who are actually fighting the Link Joker?** " All the while studying me like a particularly interesting insect.

"Because the Kagero clan will be left leaderless without your intervention, and because of the level of power you represent. Not only would you be a huge help against the Star-vaders, but also against the looming threat of the Deletors," Even though I was outwardly keeping this to a rational discussion, within my own head I was pleading, 'Please, listen to me, Nouvelle!'

The dragon suddenly swung her legs off of her couch, her body rolling up so she's towering over me by about forty or so feet. The tone of her voice having dropped two octaves. Annoyed, so very annoyed, " **Just how will the Kagero be left leaderless? Dauntless Drive Dragon is a strong leader and has a good head on his shoulders, I doubt the Star-vaders could kill him so easily.** "

"They won't kill him. Have you heard any of the rumours coming out of Star Gate about Daiyusha or Ethics Buster? If not, then I hope you don't mind if I exposit a little," I have to take a steadying breath, hopefully she understands. After a moment, I continue, "You see, among the Star-vaders, there's a high ranking figure called Chaos Breaker Dragon. This Star-vader is considered abhorrent even by many of his own comrades, but he's also a terrifying genius, who created this thing called Яeverse. It's essentially the worst combination of forcing someone through a psychotic breakdown while massively magnifying their worst traits, it gets worse in that they're then forced to obey Chaos Breaker Dragon. Dauntless Drive Dragon is one of the targets for Яeversal."

" **Who else,** " It wasn't a question, no, it's purely a demand. I can feel that through the glare she's giving me, like I'm going to be vaporized.

I swallow the new lump that's lodged itself in my throat in order to answer, "The Jewel Knight Ashlei, Ramiel of The Angel Feather, Vowing Sword of the Eradicators has likely already been overcome, Murakumo's Hyakki Vogue, Amon from the Dark Irregulars, Luquier the leader of the Silver Thorns, Granblue's Cocytus, Maelstrom from the Aqua Force, Great Nature's Leo-Pald, and Maiden of Venus Trap from the NeoNectar. They also try and revive Overlord while attempting to Яeverse him. They will manage to bring him back, but they won't have any control over him and he goes on a rampage searching for Blaster Blade."

" **And they'll be a threat to Cray?** "

"They'll be dangerous, to be sure, but the real danger is because Chaos Breaker Dragon will create a golem by the name of Glendios which gains the ability to channel all the negativity of those Яeversed in order to destroy a planet," Can cyberoid's sweat? Because I feel like there's a river of sweat running down my neck.

Her eyes flashed and she paused for a moment, a growling noise emanating from her throat, " **And your intentions?** "

"I want to help Cray win. …so I can use the Star Gate to get home," She knew I was hiding something earlier, so I might as well tell her the entire truth about this.

And now we're just sitting here, Nouvelle not making any noise but studying me closely, while I'm standing here fidgeting. Then, she broke the silence, " **What do you call yourself?** "

"Trent Blackmore," Even if it's not my real name, it's the name I'm using on this world, and she didn't necessarily ask my name.

She nodded, humming, " **Then I name you as 'The Яogue, Trent Blackmore, rebel from the Star-vaders. As for your news, I shall consider your words, now begone from my abode.** "

And that's _definitely_ my cue to leave.


	8. Chapter 7: Ruin Seeker

**Chapter 7: Ruin Seeker (Of Course, Nothing Goes As Planned)**

As I creep back into the area where the Colony Maker and I had set up for the night, her eyes flick open and she speaks up, "Query: were you successful in your goal?"

I nod, before shushing her, don't want her to wake anyone. As I settle next to her, I murmur, "Just focus on sleeping, or whatever you do all night. We'll go over our plans in the morning."

With that, I close my eyes.

It takes a bit, but eventually, everything… drifts… away…

{~}{~}

Waking up is a sudden thing, but the sun's at least pretty high in the sky. The Colony Maker's sitting beside me, some food and drink set aside presumably for me, as well as some crumpled wrappers and an empty bottle near her presumably for camouflage, unless she actually ate. That'd be a bit outside the norm though…

I scarfed down the stuff she brought me, most of it was pretty good, but that apple was a bit tart for me. Never was a fan of green apples…

After doing that, I grabbed a map from one of the stands, probably paid too much for it, but quickly retreated to the small area that the Star-vader and I had claimed. Sitting down and folding it out, I point to where we are and what I view as out next destination, a small area on the shore of one of the larger lakes in the Dark Zone. Beside it is a dot, with the name of "Ancient Ruins Research Centre" marking it. The Colony Maker sends me a somewhat quizzical if bland look, and I reply, "As much as I want to just blitz our way to the United Sanctuary, there're some things I want to check out before heading north."

"Query: what are you looking for?" I expected her to ask me about this, it's not something that came entirely out of left field.

Still the question is a difficult one to answer.

Am I looking for Gear Chronicle, for those who could release Interdimensional Crosstalk, for the ones I might need in order to gain an upper hand?

No, I guess the better answer to give would be, "…Hope. I'm looking for hope."

How messed up is it, that I have to turn to one of the clans I dislike?

Isn't it sad?

{~}{~}

After the Colony Maker and I'd finished plotting out our course and preparing to leave, we'd hopped aboard a convoy heading south-west, toward the border of the Dark Zone and the Dragon Empire.

We've ended up in a small frontier town. Not too big, but I reckon that it's got a population of a few thousand people. The town itself is nothing too fantastic either, mostly one or two story buildings with a few that go higher, though it's not like those truly stick out as there are no skyscrapers or massive apartment buildings. The main thoroughfare has a number of restaurants and tourist trap places lining it, but there's nothing really stand out about them, other than a few older pubs that look like they'd be nice to have a sit down in.

There'd been a few rainstorms on our trip, with there being what looked like a few dragons causing them so I can assume that the Narukami were responsible. The Colony Maker had said that the clan would occasionally lend out some of their members in order to help out farmers who were having difficult seasons due to drought or simply lower than average rainfall.

Goddamn, they skip over too much stuff, even in the lore…

Still, we've eaten at a small pub (which wasn't great, but hey, not everyone has good bangers and mash and I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt given that this _is_ Cray), and we'd started to plan our course for hopping the border between the Dragon Empire and the Dark Zone.

The great thing about pubs, is that they're generally loud, and people don't pay much attention to anyone else unless they're that much of a snoop. Of course, there are certain things that will destroy the atmosphere is someone bursting in and screaming that we all need to see what's happening outside.

If they had said that we needed to evacuate, then I probably would have tried to slip out the back, but seeing as they simply said that it was something that needed to be seen, I decided it could be ignored. When the Colony Maker sent a questioning look my way, I simply shook my head, figuring it wasn't worth the effort.

That's all shot to hell when someone outside shouts, "Is that Vowing Sword?"

"Oh fuck all kinds of duck," I mutter as I slide out of my seat, signaling for the Star-vader to follow me. Picking my way through the crowd, we manage to get outside and look into the sky.

There, floating against a backdrop of storm clouds is what I feared.

With crimson scales and golden thunderbolt embellishments, two jagged blades in the shape of lightning bolts, and between his wings floats a swirling ring of crimson-black.

The Eradicator, Vowing Saber Dragon Яeverse. He'd been one of the first units in the game and show to be Яeversed, and was actually a pretty potent unit… honestly, I don't remember too much about him, as I was never a Narukami player, and he was apparently considered obsolete pretty soon after his release so I never saw anyone play him.

There's a sound, and I realize belatedly that it's the sound of lightning striking at less then a hundred feet, and a building explodes into flame across the street from where I am standing. Even as citizens begin to panic, the Eradicator roars, "QUIET! Amongst your numbers, right now, there are Star-vader infiltrators! Give them up to me, or your town faces eradication!"

Is he here… for me and the Colony Maker?

Even as that thought flashes through my mind, the people around me begin panicking, surging away from Vowing Saber.

I can't seem to move, even as I try to breathe deeply and calm myself down.

One of the dragon's subordinates flies up to his side, and though I can't hear what they're saying, it's clear that they disagree with their leader's actions. They're met with one of Vowing Saber's fists swinging up in front of them, and they flinch back. But it's not a punch they have to fear as two rings of crimson-black encircle them and then tighten, entrapping them in the cruel cage of Lock.

"All of you! Where is your loyalty to the Empire? Why do you stand in the way of this mission that I've undertaken for the sake of Empire? Your collective disloyalty saddens me greatly," The last part comes out as if murmured, but it's still projected loudly enough for everyone to hear. Many among the fleeing crowd pause, or turn back to the dragon, to see what he's talking about.

This is a mistake, and I'm only spared blindness and possible electrocution by scrambling back into the pub, because Vowing Saber unleashes a hail of bolts, and there's a thunderous sound.

As soon as I climb back to my feet and look outside, I can't help but feel my gut clench in terror.

Buildings have exploded into flame, carbonized corpses have fallen in the street and people are screaming as they flee even faster.

And even then, I can't help but blurt out the first thing that comes to my mind out of outrage, "You're doing this for the sake of the Dragon Empire? Don't kid yourself, you overgrown newt!"

There's a pause, and then an explosion of sound as Vowing Saber slams into the ground before me, one of his blades cleaving down right beside me. He looms over me, growling like a chainsaw, "And what do you mean by that? Everything I do… is for the Empire, this blade is the blade of my loyalty, it represents the vow that I made!"

…I really miss being able to dunk decks with this fucker in them into the ground. But still, sucking in a deep breath as I shoot back, "Is that so? I guess you plan on throwing it away, if how hard you're stomping on this apparently amazing vow of yours!"

"You dare?!" He roars, blasting with heat from his breath. I'm going to get killed here by a dragon with electric powers and a fuck-huge sword, aren't I?

Still, I should have been trembling, sweating, and stuttering like a motherfucker, but instead I'm acting perfectly chill and retort, "Yeah, I fucking dare! I dare because I'm right! Because right now, right now all you are is a puppet dancing on Chaos Breaker's strings! You follow his orders, but it won't be to the benefit of the Dragon Empire in the least at all! It'll just lead it to its destruction!"

"MY LOYALTY IS ABSOLUTE!"

"Your loyalty is absolute _mud_ , apparently."

Now, I'm no expert in dragon facial reading, but the Eradicator looks like he's about to go nuclear. So I keep pushing, "Your loyalty is mud. Because you don't even seem to realize how badly you're hurting the very nation that you swore to protect, this town did nothing wrong and yet you're well on your way to razing it, while slaughtering those who don't flee. That doesn't sound like you've been protecting them at all."

"There are Link Joker spies among th-"

"Don't tell me you believe that load of tripe… actually, no. You're right, there is an agent of Link Joker here," I interrupt him and then pause for pure dramatic effect, I just can't seem to duck my habits of being a drama queen. Still, he's silent, and I can see he's starting to slip.

"Although I'm surprised that you didn't catch him, seeing as he's winking you in the face whenever you look at your reflection."

He's faltering, half formed syllables falling from his mouth, his expression shifting rapidly between fear and outrage.

Despite my instincts screaming at me to run, I step forward.

And he jerks back.

I smile, small, sincere, like a knife meant for someone's back, and ask, "Did you not realize? Did you not hear that little whisper in your mind? Directing you, encouraging you to grow callous, to attack the very place you call home and those you swore to protect?

"To use the cruel power born of the corruption that they foisted upon you, until that malignant whisper was almost indistinguishable from your own thoughts?"

He's shaking, his head jerking back and forth in denial, and I step forward again.

I rest my hand against on of his knees, my smile widening kindly.

"I wonder, when did your loyalty and vow shift to Chaos Breaker?"

Vowing Saber roars in anguish, dropping his swords as his claws sweep up and grip his head, staggering away from me before collapsing against one of the building across the street.

I didn't do anything like that, instead I step back into the shadows, my smile not budging an inch.

 _Author's Note: This took a bit longer than I thought, but what can you do? I was suffering a bout of writer's block. And FGO distracted me._


	9. Chapter 8: Still Got Legs

**Chapter 8: Still Got Legs (And There's an Awful Lot of Running to do)**

The Colony Maker was waiting for me towards the middle of the restaurant and seemingly understood my intentions the moment that I grabbed her and started pulling her towards the kitchens. We cut through them and once we were in the alley behind the pub, she sends me a questioning look and I shake my head, "Let's just, let's just get out of here. We're blitzing the border now."

Well, at least my terror's kicked in properly now, considering the fact that I feel like I'm going to puke.

"Query: why-"

"Listen, we can talk later, so just quiet down and let's. Go!" I'm practically shouting at the Star-vader, and I can't help but feel a bit sorry for her, even if I'm not actually hurting her feelings. I turn in what I know to be the general direction of the border between the Dragon Empire and the Dark Zone, and start into a jog.

As I start to pick up speed, I hear the Colony Maker speak before she follows, "…understood."

{~}{~}

In the end, running helps clear my head a bit, and think through what I did in that town.

How could I have been so stupid?!

Shouting at Vowing Saber like that will only draw attention to me in the long run, not mention what implications it could have further down the road.

What if Vowing Saber and Garmore don't face off?

Will the Eradicator remain a puppet of Chaos Breaker's?

Will someone else defeat him and free him from Яeverse?

Will he remain an unchecked terror until late in the war?

Damn it, damn it, damn it all! I just wanted to help Cray win the war, and here I am possibly changing things!

Still, I can't focus on that for the entire run, even if I'm still freaking out over it. Though another point in the favour of these cyberoid bodies is that they don't fatigue like a human body would, or at all.

The Colony Maker and I've been running full sprint for over an hour now, and I'm not feeling tired in any way, nor am I feeling out of breath. I don't know if we've passed the border yet, but I know that there will be a point in time where we'll have to angle either west or north-west in order to make for the ruins.

…everything's not going as I'd planned.

{~}{~}

We'd eventually reach a town that, because of the flag I'd caught sight of, we know is in the Dark Zone.

Once we had used a decent chunk of our remaining credits to rent a room in a decent motel, did we actually speak for the first time in hours, the Colony Maker asking, "Query: why did you engage the Eradicator, Vowing Saber Dragon Яeverse in such a manner? Did you not say that we were to be covert?"

"That… I suppose the best way to put it is that I was pissed off by what happened to him and what he was doing as a result. I'll be the first to admit that my morals are loose and easily compromised, but to be forced into a situation and to act in a certain way without a choice or one's input… it isn't something I can abide by," I explain, feeling a bit of my anger from earlier return from the thought of why I had been so outraged. I shake my head before I start down memory lane, and continue, "As for trying to be stealthy, well I wanted to be, but I seem to have fucked that part up. Hopefully, we'll stay under the radar for the rest of our journey."

"Query: why were you so incensed? It doesn't fit with established behaviours, and thus should be dealt with," This Star-vader… doesn't she have any sense of letting things drop?

I clench my fists tightly as I answer, "That's none of your business, so just leave it be."

"…understood."

Even if that's all she had to say, I was starting to feel a bit heated again, and the fact that I was covered in dust and dirt as I hadn't had a chance to clean up since the village where I'd had my run in with Vowing Saber, and that had been about two days ago, so feeling dirty in my own skin probably wasn't helping. Walking over to the small bathroom, I paused, "I'm going to take a shower and then sleep till tomorrow morning, feel free to do what you want so long as you stay in the room."

After finishing my shower and throwing on a pair of pants, I stepped out into the main room and quickly shuffled into the bed in the room. Seeing as I was the only one of the two of us that actually slept, I didn't think the Star-vader would mind if I took the bed.

{~}{~}

The next morning found us sitting in a greasy-spoon type restaurant, brunch having been served to us, a stack of pancakes, some home fries and bacon for me; while the Colony Maker had gotten a plate of eggs, sausages and toast which I was surprised to see her eating.

The trip to the restaurant had been interesting, with there being a few objects of interest during the trip, including a notice about taxes apparently from the House of Amon and a disturbingly gaudy flyer for the Pale Moon Circus, whom I actually forgot hid the fact that they're assassins up until then. I even saw a hotel adapted for larger visitors like dragons or giants, which honestly makes sense given how this is essentially a border town.

Still, as the Star-vader and I ate, what looked to be an enchanted mirror or incredibly thin flatscreen TV was showing the news. It had been showing a sports match when we'd first arrived, but it had been called when the Dudleys somehow managed to cripple the majority of the opposing team halfway through the game.

Naturally, the Dudleys were awarded the win.

The game's actually called Gallowsball, not Bloodball as I'd originally thought. It's sadly lacking in dwarves driving around bulldozers.

As for the news, it was showing the current state of the war, which was apparently not considered too important to the Dark Zone.

Oh, if only they knew what was going on. Then again, it could be propaganda from either the House of Amon or even his rivals in the Dark Irregulars, like the Bladewings, Schaharot, or even the residents of Nightmareland.

Well, it's probably from Amon's group as the other factions would have more to gain from revealing that Amon had made a deal with Chaos Breaker, Яeversing himself for more power.

But just over the news, I heard someone from a nearby booth mutter to their companion, "They say we're not going to be seeing any of the action from the invasion, but my brother works near the northern border and _he_ says that apparently the Gold Paladins have been sniffing around both their and our borders with the Dragon Empire."

"Yeah, well, it's not like we'll really have anywhere to go if we do get dragged into this whole thing, better just to rest up and prepare in case we have to evacuate somewhere," The person's companion replied, seemingly not too worried about the state of Cray.

How are these people so blasé about this entire situation?

After our empty plates had been taken away and the bill had been settled, The Colony Maker looked at me as she remarked, "Statement: The meal was… good. How was yours?"

"I quite enjoyed it," I reply almost immediately, ingrained politeness kicking in before I take notice of the fact that not only did she compliment the food, but she hadn't predicated her question in her usual idiom. Thinking back on it, I can't believe that she's been dropping the predicates since we got to this town.

Good job, Trent.

Agh, but what does it mean? Is it some sort of evolution of her AI? Is she developing emotions like the robots in my video games and Japanese animes? Does this have some far reaching consequences? What am I goi-

"Statement: Should we not be leaving?"


	10. Chapter 9: No Rest For the Wicked

**Chapter 9: No Rest For the Wicked (Dear, Sweet, Precious, Innocent Ionela)**

Running seems to be something that I doing an intense amount of lately, especially with how I've been running for days on end… Well two days now that the Colony Maker and I had left that Dark Zone Border town we'd stopped in.

Now that I think about, I might need to give the Colony Maker a name now that she's starting to break away from her programming. With the speed at which she's making progress, I might not have much time to come up with a good one, and "Colleen" is far too obvious.

We're about halfway to the lake that the ruins of what I hope are Gear Chronicle structures, and there's a village between us and it where we'll either take a break or keep going. I'm leaning towards break time, but the Star-vader's ill-fitting tie-dye t-shirt says keep running.

Laziness or dignity, that is the question.

{~}{~}

Laziness won, but when we arrived, we found that the town had been abandoned.

So, I had naturally made the executive decision for us to loot as many of the buildings as we could before anyone returned.

A younger Trent Blackmore would have avoided doing such on the grounds of his morals, but that was the _younger_ Trent Blackmore who had yet to discover that he could reliable sneak off the playground at recess and then proceeded to have a somewhat lucrative business in the form of selling penny candy at jacked up prices, while getting _specific_ candy for those who requested it at significant price hikes.

That was when I discovered that my morals were loose and easily compromised. Who knew that discovering moral relativism could be so liberating for a elementary schooler? I was both hated and loved on that schoolyard, and it was a wonderful feeling to rule the school through their childish love of candy.

And as the Star-vader and I raided the suburbs it seemed to pay off again. I managed to pick up a decent backpack, some changes of clothes, a healthy hoard of credits, and a really nifty duster. I likely wouldn't need the duster until either the seasons shifted over to Cray's version of winter or the Colony Maker and I moved on to a colder climate, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared.

Or I could just wear it, I doubt Cyberoid bodies have any trouble regulating heat.

When I met back up with the Star-vader, I was glad to see that she'd also picked up a bag that was probably filled with clothes and, hopefully, credits. Sadly, she was still wearing the tie-dye, which I think has somehow intensified to be an eye-searing clash of colours that made me want to cry a little, that or I was being overdramatic.

"You couldn't have picked out a new shirt?" I ask, keeping my eyes firmly on her face in order to spare them the sight of the tie-dye.

She cocked her head in a rather cute manner, "Statement: I picked out a number of new blouses along with more pants while looting these abandoned domiciles. Your statement is factually incorrect."

"I was more talking about you possibly changing out of that abomination you're currently wearing, but fair assessment of what I literally said," I'll give her this one, as she isn't too strong in the semantics department yet, another thing to work on.

The Colony Maker gave me a searching look, "Statement: research shows that many sapients find bright colours pleasant. Your words are anomalous in the face of that research."

"To clarify, not all people like bright colours, me being one such person, and second, tie-dye went out of style on Earth decades ago, I shudder to think of how long it's been out of style on Cray," Well, maybe it's still in style here on Cray, but that's not my concern at the moment.

"Statement: I find it pleasant."

I'm not winning the war on tie-dye, am I?

{~}{~}

The Colony Maker and I'd gone into the town centre in order to plunder the shops and such there; which as we enter, I immediately realize this was actually a massive mistake.

First off, it isn't empty. In fact, we've found the townspeople! Why they were there is the second problem. There, standing amidst a mob of empty eyed civilians and just as enthralled circus performers, was a woman who oozed sex appeal.

Her hair is a vibrant crimson, lines glowing that same red tattoo her body and line her clothes, a whip maid of chain links dangles from one of her hands, and a small black cap is perched atop her head. Her clothing is limited to a pair of gloves that reach up to the tops of her biceps, a small butt cape, a pair of pants and boots that I'm unsure as to where one ends and the other begins, a collar around her neck, and a tube top with what looks to be a sheer material allowing one a tantalizing glimpse of her cleavage. Her mouth is pulled into a clearly unhinged grin, her ears are pointed in the typical manner of elves, and where one of her eyes is a piercing blue, the other is glowing red.

There's no doubt in my mind, this woman before me is Luquier of the Pale Moon, or more specifically, the Silver Thorn Dragon Queen, Luquier Яeverse.

Oh no, she's hot.

Her eyes locked on to us, and she took a few steps in our direction, her hips swaying sensually as she spoke, "Ah, wonderful, more slaves to worship at my feet."

 _Oh no, she's crazy._

"Run."

With that single word, I spun and made a break for a nearby alley, the Colony Maker having fortunately listened to me. Sadly for me, I felt something hit my ankle and wrap around it, and suddenly I'm hitting the ground and being dragged back into the street.

"Dear, oh dear, another… 'Less than willing' slave. Don't worry, once you look me in the eye, you'll understand your place in the world… Amongst my slaves."

Despite the purring of Luquier's voice, the shiver that runs down my spine isn't one of anticipation. Pushing myself to my feet, I can't help but chuckle bitterly, "You know, it's kind of hilarious to hear you talk about slavery… Given that you yourself are a slave."

"What are you talking about, can't you see my adoring slaves here?" Luquier questions me, even as I cast my gaze towards her. Her thralls have all shuffled to stand behind her, all of them gazing at her blankly.

I scratch at the back of my head, "Yeah, sure, 'adoring.' I'm sure that's a suitable synonym for mind controlled puppet who's unable to properly express their emotions. I guess that makes you one of Chaos Breaker's adoring slaves too, no?"

"I serve no one! Everyone shall find themselves at my bidding! Be it you, Amon, Alfred, or Chaos Breaker!" She shouted at me, her arm lashing out and sending her whip cracking through the air.

I laugh again, "I guess it's true, that the best slaver is the slave blind to the collar and leash at their throat." Well, it's _actually_ "The best warden is a prisoner who's given privileges over their fellow inmates," but my analogy works.

"Didn't you hear me? I'm no one's slave!" With that roar, the whip lashes against my cheek, and even though it hurts and causes my head to jerk to the side, I don't falter.

"I wonder how you deluded yourself into that thought process, after your Яeversal? It's almost admirable, the way you cling to this idea of yours that you're free and enslaving others to your will. But in truth, you're not binding them to you, you're binding them to the will of the Star-vaders, I wonder how it feels to lie to yourself so thoroughly?" I question, even as I turn my eyes onto Luquier's face.

She smirks even as her crimson eye flashes, "Ah, I'm so glad that you decided to give yourself to me, just for that, I'll give you special treatment as my footstool, after you clean the soles of my boots."

"How'sbout you fuck off the edge of my dick instead?" I ask, never more glad for my habit of not meeting peoples' eyes than I am right now, as it let me dodge the effects of her Mystic Eye.

Her lips curled in distaste as she barked, "Look me in the eye! Look at my eye, peon!"

"Such language!" I gasp, feigning scandal, "But real talk? How much of this whole shtick that you have going was your idea, and how much of it was Chaos Breaker's?" I inquire, smiling serenely even though I can feel my cheek swelling up.

"You know what? Fuck this, I'm going to break you the old fashioned way, and you're going to wish that you'd simply submitted when you had the chance," Luquier growled, her grip tightening around the handle of her whip.

With a crack of her whip, a small girl with large fluffy tail was entrapped within a Lock, even as a dragon appeared seemingly from nowhere and barrelled towards me. As I dodge out of the way, I realize the identity of the littlest Warbeast that was just Locked, it was dear, sweet, precious, innocent Ionela.

That adorable child's innocent smile has been stolen from her by Luquier's Lock. But, as I focus on the Lock, I can feel something shift in it, and I pull on that sensation. The sensation coalesces into my hands, and with a bit of panic, I thrust them before me.

I brace myself, expecting the dragon (which I'm fairly sure is Rising Dragon) to bowl through me, but instead, it's deflected off the crimson shield that I summoned with that sensation. I want to stop and just stare at my hands _because how does that even work_?

Thankfully for my health, the cyberoid body seems to have other ideas and I bolt down the alley I _know_ that the alley that I know the Colony Maker ran down. As I go, I can hear Luquier shout from behind me, "I won't let you get away!"

The dragon is pulled into a Lock, and there's that same feeling again. I pull on it, just in time to catch a blow sent at me by a woman (pinkish hair, black clothes, large… tracts of land… I'll eat the Colony Maker's tie-dye shirt if that's not Maricica) called forth by Luquier.

More and more thralls are called forth, but for each of them that's brought forth, a Lock is created, and from each of those Locks, I pull out a shield to block them. I catch up to the Star-vader and motion for her to keep running, because I don't think either of us can properly deal with Luquier, at least, not without some _serious_ back up that we don't have.

More thralls, more Locks, more shields, all of it continues even as the Colony Maker and I pass the city limits. The moment it stops, I hear a shout of frustration, and with a slight turn of my head, I see that Luquier herself has followed us, "Out of slaves already?! Fine, run! But I'll get my hands on you, and when I do, I'll make you understand that you should have given yourself to me as soon as you saw me!"

If she had meant that in a far more intimate way, and she wasn't currently Яeversed, I probably would have.

{~}{~}

The Star-vader and I ended up running for two days and nights before I felt it was safe enough to stop.

We'd have to go into a town eventually, see if we were still on track, but all that had truly mattered was that we'd escaped.

In a way, it was kind of refreshing to lie down under a tree off the side of a rather worn road, it honestly felt sort of like I'd gone camping with my cousins again.

I can't see the Star-vader from where I'm laying so I don't know exactly what _she's_ doing, but I don't know if I can really bring myself to care right now, as I fall asleep.

{~}{~}

My eyes open, but not to the tree I'd gone to sleep under, but in a strange space.

A dream, I suppose.

The sky is an off grey colour, flecks of black falling from it, there's a beige-ish or cream coloured platform beneath me, and beneath that is the Void.

Not a 'void', but the Void that all Link Joker apparently are sworn to or are connected to in some manner.

It's enthralling in a way.

It's not hungry, not like one might expect a void to be, constantly pulling at everything in order to consume it, as the Star-vaders and Deletors apparently believe.

It _is_ , however, _terrifyingly_ empty.

I cast my gaze about, and off to the side, there's another platform. Crouched upon it, slowly being caked and covered by the flecks of black that seemed to just fall off me, was Vowing Sword Dragon, although he did look sort of fuzzy around the edges. Frighteningly, his shadow was also visibly being pulled across the platform and then down into the Void. His gaze caught on to me, and he murmured in his rumbling voice, "Ah, you, here to mock me? To go on about how you're right?"

"Not really, no," I answer as I stroll over to the edge of my platform and plop down, my legs dangling over the Void.

His eyes scrunch up in thought, "Hmph, and here I thought you would. You're right, though, about what you said to me when we last met. How I'm dancing to Chaos Breaker's tune, how I'm hurting those I swore to protect."

"Eh, someone had to talk some sense into you, shouted at Luquier just a few days ago," I shrug, even as I'm tempted to flop onto back.

Vowing's head cranes to face me, "Why?"

"Oh, you didn't know? She was Яeversed, just like you. Had to run from her though, as she went full murder mode rather than the mini-breakdown I nearly forced you through. Sorry about that, by the way," I reply, but honestly, these flecks are kind of annoying, even if they flow off me like water.

The dragon grimaced, "No, I think it might be that I should be thanking you, as you're words incapacitated me long enough to keep me from hurting more than I did. Didn't help later, but for that night at least…"

"Oh, your welcome then, I guess," Wasn't really expecting that, figured he'd be more liable to blow up at me.

Silence settles between us for a few moments, but it's broken by Vowing Sword, "Tell me, how can you do that yet not be dragged into the Void?"

"What? Sit here with my legs over the edge? Honestly, I'm not too sure," I answer, kicking my legs a bit.

The dragon makes a disgruntled noise before he answers me, "Don't you feel it pulling on, trying to swallow you?"

"Not really~, but I guess it's like that for you? Has it always been like that for you?" Man, am I having dream introspection with an interpretation of Vowing Sword? Well, at least he's telling me I'm making good choices, more pats on the back for me.

He sighs, "Yes, ever since this all began. It feels like it's trying devour me…"

"Maybe it's a matter of perspective. You see the Void as something that pulls everything to be devoured and destroyed, and I see it as something to be filled," I answer, trying to hash out the Void, in my own mind I guess.

The dragon makes a sort of laughing rumble in his throat, "Isn't that the same thing?"

"Not really?" I ramble, trying to explain it as best I can, "Like, you see it like some great beast or something, and to me… it's like a canvas or a blank page. I see it as something to be filled with… I guess whatever it should be filled with, colours, feelings or whatever." I wave my hand at the sky to illustrate my point.

There's that rumbling laugh again, "You know, that sort of makes sense."

"Of course, getting Яeversed _probably_ didn't help with how you're seeing the Void. You probably got the Star-vader view of what it's supposed to be like jammed into your head and it definitely messed with you. I mean, there's the Star-vader and Deletor way to view the Void, then there's the way that me and what will eventually be the Craian Link Joker see it." I see the dragon give me a shocked look, but whatever. I've got a train of thought and I'm not letting it be derailed. "Overlord… Well, I can't be sure as to _how_ he'll see the Void, other than another source of power for him to take ahold of," I hum and haw a bit on this statement, but it's gotta be said, right? Absently, I notice the Narukami starting to bluster at the mention of the famous Kagero general in the same sentence as the Void, but this is a dream. He's a part of my psyche really, so he already knows all of this. "But… You can't just sit and wait for someone to save you from it." I stop and consider what I'd said, "Or, I suppose you can, but that might be a _long_ wait. No telling what might happen between now and then. If you don't want that then… This, the Void, it's something you've got to deal with, maybe you have to become… "Non-standard" in your Яeversal, cast yourself into the Void and take it more into yourself."

The dragon grumbles at that, "So, a source of strength… I can understand that." I could see a slight tremor shiver through his sorta pixelated body as what I'd guess were fury, rage, and determination warred within him.

A moment of silence rings out, and then it's again broken.

"Let's say I can do it… How is this to your benefit?"

"Me?" I loll my head from side to side, thinking about it a bit, "I hadn't really thought too much on it. Though, I wouldn't be complaining if Cray were to win this war."

"Hmph, to say it like that… Perhaps, my loyalty then? Will that be enough? I'll give you my loyalty, Devil… Because if it is for the power to protect those under my purview from the Link Joker, I'll gladly damn myself with both hands!" This guy, well, I guess this is my psyche saying that people will do nice things for me if I do nice things for them. Or that I want people to work for me.

Slowly, almost as if it's snow melting in the early spring, the black stuff that had been caking Vowing's body flowed off. The shadow that had been pulled over the edge of the platform has retracted back to a normal length, and he freely stands, his wings stretching out.

{~}{~}

My eyes open, and I can't help but mutter, "What a weird dream…"

 _AN: Oh hai guys, look a new chapter. As always, special thanks to AbZHz101 and Peanut.007 for beta'ing this. And remember, remain hype for the month of Link Joker (November), even if there won't be a Photon reprint (Laughs in Photon at people with no Photons)._


	11. Sidestory: Back on Earth 01

And so, from AbZHz101 on SB, we have the beginning of the Back on Earth side materials.

 **Back on Earth 1:**

Kai reached for the mystery card. The one that Naoki had seemed to discover and change his deck around in the time that he had come from Miyagi Academy, "Eradicator, Vowing Saber Dragon Яeverse." He'd never seen a Narukami with that sort of power. That match... Had all come down to a misplay and Naoki's lack of a Trigger. Had Naoki remembered to trigger Blade Hang Dracokid's skill and instead chosen to only use Saber's ability once... Aichi had had three cards in hand.

From trigger checks they had all been reasonably certain that Aichi hadn't had a Perfect Guard remaining. Which meant that the maximum shield size in his hand was 30,000. Coupled with Alfred's 11,000 power, that made a defensive wall of 41,000. 46,000 if Naoki had chosen instead to leave one activation of Sabre off the board and used Bladehang's ability instead. But, that would have given Naoki's Sabre a 11,000 base+2,000 for the Cross Ride+10,000 for the Break Ride+3,000 for Bladehang's Skill+ 10,000 from Sabre's skill. 36,000 power... 2 Critical. That would need 2 Triggers on its own, but at the same time, it was a bit unlikely that Aichi would have three 10,000 shields in his hand. Aichi was good, but there were only twelve total in the deck. Far too low a probability. As was actually the case. As they knew from the post match... Aichi only had 25,000 in defense in his hand. Between that and his remaining Rearguard, it put his defensive power at 41,000. Normally enough for a Break Ride, but it would have been close.

Once Naoki used Sabre and it's new skill all that prediction went out the window. Even 33,000 power was nothing to sneeze at and would have taken his entire hand to keep down. And with Drive Checks, it was slightly anomalous that Naoki hadn't pulled a Trigger, though that might be due to his Units' reluctance. Though not something that was insurmountable from what Kai could see. Naoki had had two paths to victory on his turn. Going for the guaranteed hit and trying for the Critical Trigger, which even if he got a trigger was still only a one in four chance of success due to his Reargaurd formation (which he had done)... Or predict that Aichi had a less than maximum defense and use Bladehang. At that point, he could attack Aichi's remaining rearguard and reduce him by 5,000 shield. Something that even with a maximum shield hand, Aichi could ill afford. Then even if Aichi had had 30,000 shield, Naoki would have only needed one trigger of any kind to pass (which in post match they knew he wouldn't have needed) and he would have already had the critical to kill. Aichi would have lost.

As Kai's fingers were about the brush the mysterious card, it and Naoki's deck began to shine with a paradoxically black light. Kai jerked his hand back in surprise as the image of the card and the name changed. Still Grade 3... Still a Narukami. Still a Thunder Dragon. Still one that Kai had never seen before! This one... "Яogue Eradicator, Vowing Double Blade Dragon." That odd character was still on it. What had... Everyone had turned to stare at the changed card. Gently he picked up the card and offered it to Misaki.

"How about this one?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, I've never seen this one before either." Her gaze narrowed. " _But_ , I can look them both up," she said turning back to the counter and the computer on it. She opened the bookmarked card registry and typed in "Eradicator, Vowing Saber Яeverse." Nothing. There was no card like that in the registry. So... What had been going on? Had someone given Naoki a fake card? But that still didn't explain why he had been acting so strange.

She glared over to the _new_ mystery card, lying guiltily on the table. She clicked the Search engine again and typed in the new name.

... _This_ one was there. "Яogue Eradicator, Vowing Double Blade Dragon," she began reading. "Skills... It's another Cross-Ride Unit. So it could combine Cross Ride and Break Ride like Naoki did in that game. For the Limit Break, it can Lock it's own units like the Яeverse Unit Naoki was using before. Only... It costs less in Counterblast because it also gains a permanent 2000 power reduction rather than adding power, and doing so retires one Unit in the opponent's front row and locks one unit in their back row. It also has another Skill that makes it a 'Link Joker' Unit." She glanced at the others. "I haven't heard of that clan... Have any of you?"

Everyone shook their heads, frowns and confusion growing longer with each moment. "Odd... His flavor text refers to the Link Joker too... Let's see what his Lore says..." She clicked open the Lore page and the first thing that came up was a blurb on Eradicators. Below that was... Her breath caught and she turned the monitor so that everyone else could read it.

" **Who are the Яogues?**

These warriors are born from those who had been thought to have lost themselves to the **Void**. Though they still use the power of **Lock** , they seem to fight on they side of Cray. Those who were of Cray's stock consider themselves both part of their original clan and Link Joker, while those who came from the **invaders** still seem to call themselves Link Joker and Void Agents, though perhaps not invaders anymore. The leader of this rebellious faction is a malfunctioning **Promethium** unit, whom the faction claims holds deep insight not only into the nature of the Void itself, but also into the fate of Cray and the fate of the invasion and what comes after. So far, the invaders have made no direct movements against these "new" players in the planetary conflict... Perhaps in curiosity, perhaps because they hold no quarrel. For the resistance of Cray, dark times have led to uneasy acceptance to the return of lost comrades baring strange allies. Only time will tell if this was wise, or sheltering a viper under the shirt."

Kai, Miwa, and Aichi felt their hearts stop for a moment. The look on Misaki's ashen face told them that she felt the same. Cray was being invaded. And the fight was spilling over into their own world. Were these Invaders the force that Cray had needed the VF Circuit to band against?

"Uh... What's wrong?" Naoki asked looking at the others, not understanding. Shingo also didn't know, but hadn't wanted to say anything.

"This isn't over," Kai muttered.

"Mmm?" Shingo asked, looking at the legendary fighter.

"Look at the first sentence," Miwa stated darkly. "That and the fact that they are a group means that there are more. And not only that, but they 'are born from those who had been thought to have lost themselves to the Void...' There are more cards like that Яeverse Unit out there."

"And the fact that those cards can affect their owners means that the fight for Cray... Has now crossed over to earth. And we _just_ found out," Kai added in.

"What? But Cray's just an imaginary place for the game setting!" Shingo stated in disbelief. "It's not on any star chart! And the large number of celestial bodies would tear it apart with all the gravity. And magic isn't real!"

"Cray's very real," Aichi murmured, staring back at his cards. His friends. The Liberators. "Kai, Misaki, and I have all been there. That was what the VF Circuit was all about."

"So then..." Naoki asked walking over to the Яogue card. Kai looked back at Naoki, thinking about the fight again. If he _was_ being controlled, maybe he _didn't_ forget about Blade Hang's ability. Or rather _the real Naoki_ hadn't, but had _made the fake misplay_ by "forgetting." He then studied the Яogue card. Compared to the brief glimpses he had gotten while the game was going on... The left vambrace was different, more specifically the design was the same and still the same as the right, but the colors were different. Where the right vambrace was yellow/gold the left was an opal white. Where the lightning bolts were black on the right, on the left they were red. Not only that, but descending from the belt were a pair of cuirasses, with the same color as the changed vambrace's base color. And from the positioning of the right leg, you could see a small strip of black leather wrapping around just above the knee, locking the cuirass in place. The trail of red behind the ring was longer, almost as if... were the ring spinning it had sped up significantly. Finally, the swords were positioned differently. Before, they were up crossed in front of the dragon's body in a guard. Now they were extended away from the body. Combined with the knowledge of what was going on and the new card's skills and flavor text... It was almost like Saber Яeverse had been trying to protect itself and only itself, especially from acknowledging whatever had changed him; while the Яogue... He made a formation in his mind. Each sword shielding one of his Rearguard. Accepting everything to save them.

"We're all going to have to keep our guards up. This is only the beginning," Aichi told the group. Everyone could only nod.

"Be careful around that card," Kai added. When Naoki looked at him he sighed and continued. "Whomever gave you the Яeversed version likely knows that you've lost. If they have access to Cray... Well we simply don't know what they can do in that case, but they've hit Vowing before. They might go after him... _and you_ again."

Miwa smirked self-disparagingly. "Looks like things are about to get interesting, wouldn't you say guys?"

Unseen to anyone, when the Яeversed Unit had transformed into a Яogue, another Unit had slid itself into the display case as if it belonged there. The card depicted what might be mistaken for a man rushing forward, a duster kicking up in the wind behind him to convey speed. Silver hair still short enough that it was still somewhat spikey even in motion. A pair of sunglasses covered the eyes, and the face had a knowing smirk. The figure had one outstretched hand from which red light seemed to be emanating.

===CARD INFO BELOW===

The Яogue, Trent Blackmore

 _A smile like a stiletto, accompanies a deal with the devil._  
[AUTO]: When this unit intercepts, if you have a Vanguard with "Яogue" in its name and there are at least two Locked units on the field, this unit gains +10,000 shield until the end of that battle.  
Power: 9000; Critical: 1; Clan: Link Joker  
Grade: 2; Shield: 5,000; Cyberoid

Яogue Eradicator, Vowing Double Blade Dragon  
 _You want my Loyalty, Devil? ...Then to protect them from the Link Joker, I'll damn myself with both hands!_  
[ACT] (VC) [Limit Break 4] [Counter Blast 1]: You may Lock two Rearguard Units that you control. If you do, Retire one opponent Front Row Rearguard and Lock one Back Row Rearguard. This unit also gains "[CONT] (VC): Reduce this Unit's power by 2000."  
[CONT] (VC): If your soul contains a unit with "Vowing" in its name, this unit gets +2000 power.  
[CONT] (VC/RC): This Unit is also Link Joker.  
Power: 11000; Critical: 1: Clan: Narukami  
Grade: 3; Thunder Dragon

Yeah, Lot more rule and Card Game heavy on this side. But it's kinda how the characters on Vanguard!Earth _can_ interact with Vanguard Units, through the game.


	12. Chapter 10: On The Clock

**Chapter 10: On the Clock (How Does That Even Work?)**

Stepping out of the research centre dedicated to the ruins that I'd been searching for, I don't know whether to sigh or smile, so I settle for a mild grumble.

We were definitely in the right area. There had been Gear Chronicle artifacts on display in the areas open to the public within the research centre, as evidenced by the clear gearpunk motif. Of course, they were dedicated to a "mysterious civilization," but I was well aware as to who that was To cap it off, there's also the pictures from the ruins themselves, which aren't even a fifteen minute walk away and the reason as to why the Colony Maker and I'd decided to head over there.

As we stroll down the quiet path, a light breeze cooling the air, the Colony Maker speaks up, "Query: Did you find what you were looking for? The artifacts, while interesting, did not seem to be of import."

"Well, I found proof that the ones I'm looking for _were_ there, just from the artifacts alone. Now I just need to see if there's any signs of them being there recently. And, if so, if it might be possible to coax them out of hiding to help out," I shrug, considering the unlikelihood of that. Gear Chronicle didn't pop up in the normal timeline until a few years after the Star-vader Invasion, when Claret Sword Dragon decided to rebel against Blaster Dark Diablo's ascension to leader of the Shadow Paladins.

And even then, they were mostly appearing in response to more and more beings appearing in modern Cray through Interdimensional Crosstalk.

And now I'm making myself anxious over whether or not Gear Chronicle will be reachable, even if they aren't I have my back up.

…Which is equally unlikely to work out.

Hopefully I can get Alfred and them to believe me.

The Colony Maker made a humming sound before asking, "Query: You do not believe that they would lend you aid? Are they not inhabitants of Cray, would they do nothing to protect their homes?"

"Even if they _are_ it doesn't mean that they'll show up, Gear Chronicle's fickle like that. Given their nature as temporal manipulators, it's perfectly possible that they've decided that Cray's on a proper timeline and will win without them and that they don't need to act to ensure the future that they desire," I explain, my hands going wild in absurd gestures as I try and contextualize the time based Clan for her.

The gynoid is silent for a few moments, but is more than willing to break it, "Query: Then, if they have not appeared, why seek them out? It would seem unnecessary to do so, as they would appear if there was a need for them, correct?"

"Insurance? Peace of mind? The irrefutable fact that one can never have enough dakka?" I offer all of those before clarifying, "Because I don't want to leave things to chance, I want Cray to _win_."

"Understood," Was the gynoid's only response to my explanation.

{~}{~}

The ruins themselves, were both more and less majestic than I'd expected.

They were worn down by time and the elements, and there were areas that seemed to have been damaged by either careless excavators or battle. But at the same time, there was an air of awe and mystery about them, fitting given the initial mystery that surrounded Gear Chronicle.

Still, we couldn't waste time here.

I instructed the Colony Maker to look about for things out of the ordinary, beyond the signs of people traipsing through in search of history, we're there for Gear Chronicle not fossils.

We ended up searching fruitlessly for hours, even though we did find that cool statue of that unnamed Gear Dragon.

Staring up at the statue, I'm half tempted to kick it for the amount of time I've spent in these ruins, finding not a lick of actual evidence. But then, what was I expecting? To find Chrono Dran just curled up in an alcove somewhere or wandering for food? Am I wasting my time trying to find Gear Chronicle? Would my time be better spent working in other ways to subvert the efforts of the Star-vaders?

I'm about to go off in search of the Colony Maker, to tell her that we might as well head out as we'd wasted enough time, when there's a noise.

It's like reality twisting around the "Vworping" of the TARDIS from Doctor Who, like a zipper distorted through a vuvuzela, and ending in a sharp chime like noise.

My eyes whip about the room in search of the source, and come to rest on a figure seemingly stepping from nothing.

Clad in a dark ruffled skirt, black stockings, and a cropped top, all of them studded and decorated with steampunk and gearpunk motifs, a pair of mechanical bladed wings sprouting from her back, a greatly oversized blade held at her side -all the metal shining a bronzed gold in the evening sun- and purple and green lights shining and blinking all about her form.

I recognize her, I really do, but I can't name her. She's an old Grade 3 unit from the first booster set that had Gear Chronicle, but she never really had any importance that I can think of, unlike Chronojet Dragon or Chronofang Tiger. I'm pretty sure she's a Steam Maiden, like Uluru… _but_ that's not really helpful in this case, because I know that she's _not_ the Heal Trigger pacifist.

She steps forward, one of her eyes glowing in a harsh lilac light, and I greet her, "Hey there, Gear Chronicle member, I'm glad I found you."

Her eyes narrow into a point; some part of her trying to figure me out, the rest just _very_ annoyed. "You were searching for me? Irrelevant, your actions are pushing this world from its established World Line, and are endangering the fabric of space-time. What changes you've made so far aren't great enough to warrant retroactive changes to them, as such, the solution is simple, you shall be eliminated to preserve the timeline," Annnnnnd, she went full Terminator.

Inching back a bit, I suck a breath through my teeth and ask, "I can't convince you to _not_ kill me, and instead help me kick the Star-vaders off the planet?"

"No, maintaining the stability of space-time is of the utmost importance, everything else is insignificant."

Oh boy.

Nodding my head a bit, I make a show of humming and hawing and start, "Well, you make some _wonderful_ points, and… strong arguments. But fuck you, I'm not dying for your preferred timeline shit!" And then I turned and ran. As I duck into the next room, I find the Colony Maker examining a desk. For what, I didn't have the time to figure out. "Colony Maker! We gotta get outta here! Shake a leg! Come on, we gotta go fast!" I shout as I run, not bothering to check and see whether or not the Steam Maiden was chasing me. Because the Time Travel clan, doesn't matter if they weren't there… They can _still_ hit you. The gynoid jogged out of a building even as I pick up speed towards the edge of the ruins, a puzzled look on her face as she joins me.

"Query: Have we been discovered, or are we running for another reason? Is something the matter?" She asked as we broke into full sprint.

Taking a steadying breath, I reply, "Found a member of Gear Chronicle, she decided I need to go in order to keep the timeline on the path they liked."

"Understood."

Ah, how lovely that she just accepts that despite how ridiculous it sounds. The sound comes again, out of the corner of my eye, the oversized blade comes swinging down. I dive out of the way, the Colony Maker following me even as the Steam Maiden follows her blade out of whatever timewarp bullshit she's pulled off, "You cannot outrun me."

Now that's just unfair, does this bitch have the World?

Scrambling to my feet and pulling the Colony Maker with me, I try and pull out even more speed as I fall right back into a sprint.

"It's futile."

The sword comes again, and we barely dodge around the Steam Maiden as she appears in our path, the telltale sound giving us warning when she decides to appear. They _really_ should work on that if they're gonna try and assassinate people… but I'm not saying anything.

"Your fruitless actions will result in nothing, allow yourself to be removed for the good of the many."

Ducking under a slash, I can't help but retort, "Fuck that! "The good of the many? The stability of spacetime?" Timelines, World Lines, they can all be changed through one's actions and will, so I can't help but think that you just don't want to make new plans for whatever the future becomes!"

That got a flicker of emotion, something between surprise and irritation. I seem to have that effect on the women around here. "Cease and desist, allow your anomalous self to be fixed, you endanger more than you know."

That's accompanied by another slash, and I realize that she won't be swayed in the slightest by words. Ugh, those are my best weapon from what I've found so far…

We continue the deadly game of "dodge the sword" down the mountain, receiving more than a few nicks and cuts from close calls, and eventually a group comes into sight. I call out to them, waving a hand as we approach, trying to draw their attention to the woman trying to kill me.

"You are making this difficult."

And even then she continues!

Her most recent swing, even though it doesn't connect, still causes me to lose my footing and topple head over heels. Rolling to a stop, I'm about to leap to my feet when the Steam Maiden steps into my view, her oversized blade obscuring much of it.

I try and roll out of the way even as a blur slams into the Gear Chronicle clanswoman from the side, the Colony Maker tackling and knocking her away before quickly helping me to my feet so we can continue running towards the group.

My steps falter as their figures resolve, my cyberoid eyes seeing that the figures are actually Star-vader forces.

Well, hopefully we can get the Steam Maiden to fight them for us.

We're headed on a collision course for the group (which appeared to be a quartet of Grade 0s and 1s, small miracle that is), and they've taken note of us as well, seeing as they've started advancing on our position. When we're still a good ways away from the Star-vaders, the attacks stop, and I stall for a moment to see whether or not the Steam Maiden's disappeared.

She's standing a ways back a look of calculation on her visage, it fades to vague frustration, then she shakes her head and disappears in a swirl of purple and that awful noise.

…And now we have to deal with this squad of Star-vaders.

Rather than even bother to try and plough through them, I cut off the path and into the woods, dodging around or cutting through bushes. I've barely been running through the forest for a minute when a blade swings into my view, stopping my in place. It's held at my neck, and into my view steps a small girl looking cyberoid, her visage almost entirely covered by a helmet.

She's quiet for a few moments, and then declares, "Statement: You will disclose all knowledge on that being that you possess, failure to do so will be met with destruction."

Earnest Star-vader, Selenium; adorable, but sadly murderous.

"I can't really say, she was just trying to murder me and my friend, never gave her name or affiliation," A lie by omission is still a lie, but I'd rather keep the Gear Chronicle out of the hands of the Star-vaders, even if they did show off time travel during the whole Legion Mate debacle.

The gynoid seemed to study me before asking, "Query: Then why did she seek your destruction?"

"Hell if I know, but she came out swinging, that's for sure," I snort, trying to make light of the situation.

I nearly heave a sigh of relief when she withdraws her blade from my neck, only for it to catch in my throat when she drives forward in a thrust at my heart.

I dodge, sloppily and hastily, slamming into a tree even as her blades rips through my clothes and into my flesh. My arm stings, and my fist is already lashing out.

There's a harsh cracking sound, followed shortly by a thud, and my eyes can scarcely believe what I'm seeing. The Selenium is collapsed against a tree, what I can see of her face is cratered.

I just-

There's the sound of parting air above my head and I step towards it instinctually, and even though I clinically note the sword held in my attacker's hand, I reach out and take hold of their wrist, sending a sharp kick at their midsection. It's followed up with a few more steps to control the blade back into where the kidney would be on a regular human… and then wrenching it around, nearly bisecting the body. The rest slathers apart from gravity's pull.

My attacker stares blankly at me from behind his visor, his red, black, and white armour gleaming eerily in the broken light of the forest. His blue-white hair seems almost strangely pristine in the moment his image is captured in my eye, contrasting the crimson-black of his cleaver.

Prison Gate Star-vader, Palladium.

His lower half flops to the ground, even as his hand releases the cleaver and his upper half falls limp in my hand.

Electronics and pseudo organs spill out onto the forest floor.

I, I-

The Colony Maker appears from the bushes, wear and tear clear on her clothes, a questioning look on her face. "The other two are gone." She gives the Star-vaders around me a glance before asking e, "Query: Are you all ri-"

"I just, we, come on, we're going… before, before that Steam Maiden comes back," I interrupt her, taking hold of one of her hands and pulling her away.

…I just can't stop running from my problems, can I?


	13. Interlude 2y

**Interlude 2.y**

Chaos Breaker Dragon looked up from his current project as an internal alarm went off in his head, moving away from it and out into what would count as a hall in the Star-vaders' base. He honestly didn't understand the need for these meetings, seeing as they could easily share all of this information through the internal neural network, but apparently the various mass production units just didn't _get_ that. Worthless trash.

He stalked through the halls, moving quickly in order to get this meeting over with so he can get back to his work. When he arrived, he found that all the others were in attendance, with the exception of Nebula Lord Dragon and Infinite Zero Dragon, who he knew to be doing important tasks. _Like he was_ just moments ago. Preferably this wouldn't take long.

Dark Matter was rather… _Volatile_ at the best of times even with Void Magic limiting the potential output until he was ready.

As he took his place in the meeting, a pair of screens flicked on, the visages of both Nebula Lord and Infinite Zero filling them.

A single screen remained blank, as Schwarzschild Dragon still hadn't been extracted from the United Sanctuary. Given everything, it was likely that the screen would be taken down soon. The planet had proven to be anomalous, but losses had to be contrasted with the gains and it would severely hamper time and material should he not be able to extricate himself.

The meeting began with little in the way of inane preamble as the Francium assigned to the meeting stood, "Current efforts are mostly nominal, with our holdings in Star Gate consolidating their grip and entrenching themselves while our forces in Dark Zone are probing for potential strongholds. The main issues are the United Sanctuary's forces, particularly the Blazing Lion, Platina Ezel, Blaster Blade Liberator, and Blaster Dark Revenger."

All of it, old news and things they already knew. Thankfully, it seemed that Schwarzchild had traded his future for the permanent dissolution of Majesty Lord Blaster. _That_ anomaly would have destroyed the plan before it could have truly gotten underway. A bishop for a queen was a fair trade.

Chaos Breaker was suggest that they adjourn the meeting based on that when one of the Limited Production Run units, a Darmstadtium rumbled, "But, new issues and oddities have arisen as of late. Chaos Breaker Dragon, your expertise in the Яeversal process is necessary for the understanding of one of them."

The dragon's neural circuits rerouted instantly, but he held the pause for a moment. He had an _image_ to maintain after all. "Oh, well, now I'm _intrigued_ ," he purred, because if this wasn't worth his time he'd be taking the losses out of some _thing_ else. "Has something occurred with one of them? Have they mutated in some notable manner? I know that Amon's flesh sloughed off after he underwent the process and that the others had more minor cosmetic changes," He said, because if that was all, and they thought he didn't know that… There would be problems. …For them.

The Darmstadtium replied, "The Eradicator, Vowing Saber Яeverse seems to have retaken his faculties properly, and has since taken up the name Яogue Eradicator, Vowing Double Blade Dragon. More alarmingly, he has exhibited the ability to utilize Lock against our own forces despite seemingly escaping the control we had over him."

Ooh! Now they were talking, especially if it involved the Яeversed in some manner. He clapped a little bit as his smile widened, giving the image of a child with a new toy. This had some _promise_. And besides, better to keep the others from thinking that he was serious about this. The mutation could be very beneficial or it might mean a hidden defect in the process that normally didn't have the circumstances to present itself. The latter was incredibly dangerous if left unchecked.

"Fascinating, fascinating!" He giggled. "Do we have any idea as to what facilitated the change?" Developments like this, that tested what the scientist had achieved, this is one of the things that Chaos Breaker Dragon truly relished.

One of the Mass Production units, a Freezeray Dragon attending the meeting spoke, "Records indicate that some of the electronics that you installed in his brain created a connection with another, shortly before this changed form of the Eradicator appeared. However, we have not been able to identify the one on the other end of the connection, as theirs is an anomalous code, we have however extrapolated their location at the time of contact."

Now that was intriguing. He hadn't intended for a full connection unless the subject had actually proved it's worth, but someone had managed to trigger just that. Hmm, that might require more testing. Though now there was the somewhat odd situation of a Void user standing against the Clan. … _How novel_!

A holographic map of Cray appeared above the table, a small yellow dot indicating the former location of their object of interest being in the Dark Zone, with a few markers appearing around it to contextualize where it was in the nation. It provided some interesting data at least, and hopefully this could all be used to further the goals of the Star-vaders. Officially, the only True Ego with a Void connection that should be _there_ would either be Nebula Lord or by an utter anomaly Schwarzchild… And neither of them would tamper with a Яeverse. It was against Nebula Lord's nature because it hampered their efforts, and the efficiency obsessed bastard would have known it going in. Schwarzchild… The little one really _was_ a child, and there was no reason he would not have returned, trying to mitigate his less than one hundred percent operation if he was in the relative safety of Dark Zone enough to alter a Яeverse. Even further proving that the planet was anomalous would not make his loss of face/worth/status less.

Which meant… _Someone_ had touched his toys, how _cute_. However, the chances were that they were also listening in on the meeting if they were able to tap into inactive electronics in an agents brain from almost halfway across a continent. No reason for him to them know that he knew. "This might mean that they are capable of either moving past or taking control of the Яeversed nature," he began with a slight chuckle. "If that _is_ the case, then it would be best if we were to Яeverse other members of the Craian forces." So I can catch them next time. "While the initial plan called for the creation of more Яeverses than _s_ _trictly_ necessary, it would be unwise to think that those we currently have will remain in their current states with what we've seen," Chaos Breaker opined, his talons clattering against the haft of his scythe even as he took control of the hologram to bring up various possible targets. The Blasters, while symbols, would make terrible targets. Too much time would be needed for a _proper_ Яeversal, but there were those they were close to. And losing a friend would cripple them mentally.

'Take my toys and subjects for now, but I have more irons in the fire than you'd expect, and soon, my greatest work to date will be complete and it will be _me_ that the Void is pleased with!'

It was then that Garnet Star Dragon declared, "There was an additional development in the Dark Zone. A small force was investigating an odd energy spike in their area of operation when this was recorded."

The hologram changed, shifting to become a video recording depicting a pair of figures running from a third, with that third suddenly appearing and then reappearing in other places, lashing out the pair with a large blade. One of the figures seemingly notices the one recording them and waves, even as the seemingly teleporting one continues their assault. As they approach, the figures become clear, the running pair seeming to be regular civilians, while the other looks to be some sort of gearpunk angel with all the gears and glowing bits on her and her weapon.

Interesting. Obviously some form of Spatial/Temporal magic, though he hadn't been aware that there was a tribe of these dolls that used it. And so _daintily_ too! They were trying to prevent anomalous congruencies in the timeline? Simply _adorable_. He'd _have_ to pick one up for himself.

The three continue in their approach, just as the third continues in her assault, until she seems to recognize the shape of the Star-vader forces approaching them. It is then that she pauses, before using that purple flare of her magic to seemingly step away from the area.

Garnet Star made a small motion and the recording cutoff, the cyber dragon grumbling, "What follows after was a short skirmish that ends with the force being scrapped by the two running from the mysterious energy wielder, the male destroyed a Selenium unit and a Palladium unit while the female destroyed a Neon unit and a Fermium unit. The Selenium attempted to interrogate the male, but he proved to either be lying and uncooperative or simply lacking knowledge as to the identity of their pursuer."

That was actually somewhat impressive. That implied that the pair were more than standard chaff, they at least had some training with magic or martial skill. It was a bit of a shame that Garnet Star had chosen not to show the logs. Though perhaps he could get them privately and make his own deductions. Yes, that might just work. Considering those possibilities, one has to consider how strong the space/time manipulator must have been… No… He mustn't get ahead of himself.

Oh, Chaos Breaker was practically vibrating in his seat, so much quality data had actually come out at one of these meetings, _f_ _or once_!

 **Interlude 2.y Chaos Breaker Dragon End**

 _AN: Well, a small interlude to let everyone know what the Star-vaders are up to, and to GET EVERYONE HYPE FOR RONDEAU OF CHAOS AND SALVATION! GET HYPE FOR CHAOS BREAKER DELUGE EVERYONE! As always, thanks to AbZHz101 and Peanut.007 for their help with this chapter. Also, FUCK the formatting on this site, I had to spend ten minutes fixing this chapter._


	14. Chapter 11: Juste Comme une Priere

**Chapter 11: Juste Comme une Prière (I'm Trying to Call You Here)**

I sigh as I stare up at the great statue that dominates the majority of the room I'm standing in.

Elegantly carved, with lovely features and an almost lifelike quality to it, I'm almost entranced by it. The anime hardly did any justice to how beautiful the statue of Harmonics Messiah was and I have to wonder as to just how amazing the real thing must look.

The cathedral around me was made of a white material that flowed all around, strange swirls drawing the eye to the statue in the centre of the cavernous room. It's a beautiful day outside and the building takes full advantage of that fact. Any electrical, candle, or magical lights are kept to much smaller alcoves dedicated to statues of what I assume are heroes or lesser deities. And through ingenious precision, the statue at the centre has a sunbeam all to itself. There were benches or perhaps pews around the edges of the room, but they were far from filling the majority of the room like the religious enters that I was more familiar with.

I don't know what to say, or think.

Do I pray?

Do I plead?

The Colony Maker is sitting in the back of chapel, near the entrance we'd walked through. What did she think of this place? Did she know what it was? Did she care?

Over a week has passed since the encounter with the Steam Maiden and the subsequent run in with the small Star-vader unit, and I'm not entirely sure how I'm handling it.

"Excuse me?"

The quiet contemplation that I've been caught up is shattered by a woman's voice calling out to me.

I cast my eyes at the source, and there's a woman dressed similarly to a nun standing beside me, although there is a great difference from a traditional nun's habit in the form of her thigh high stockings and hotpants. Her hair is a shade of violet and her pointed ears peek out of it, but despite all that there's an air around her, that makes me wary.

She offers me a smile, "You don't look like you're too at peace, do you perhaps need an open ear?"

"No, it's just… I'm not sure how I should do this…" I mutter, not quite able to meet her eyes.

She nods, "A lot of people find themselves a bit overwhelmed, especially first time visitors. What I recommend, is that you simply take few moments, gaze upon the Saviour, and hold your prayer or wish or whatever have you in your thoughts."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll try, thank you," I reply, getting another smile and nod from the nun before she walks away.

I breathe deeply through my nose.

Harmonics Messiah… even if you only hear a snippet of this prayer… please, help me, help everyone repel the forces invading Cray. Whether it's through lifting the ban on Interdimensional Crosstalk, or empowering whoever you feel is best, or, or whatever.

Please… I just… _I just want to go home_.

I let out the breath, sigh, and then turn away from the statue.

The Colony Maker stands as I approach, and we stride out of the cathedral.

The air fills with noise, there's a small square of sorts before the entrance of the holy building that we'd just stepped out of. The sky is clear, sunlight cheerily bouncing off of the windows of the buildings mashed together on one side of the cobblestone street. Most of the city's like that. Colony Maker had noted it as an efficient use of space. There's a few vendors, selling snacks and such, even as children dart about in play with their respective parents and siblings chase after them.

It's peaceful. Idyllic, even.

As if the capital of the United Sanctuary, Hy-Annsil, was utterly untouched by the ravages of the Star-vader invasion.

But, that was wrong.

It's visible.

In the slight tension present in all parents keeping a close eye on their children.

In the way that the vendors will sometimes turn their eyes to the sky with worried grimaces.

In the way nobody comments on the occasional person, man or woman, old or young, sitting quietly on a bench with a haunted look on their face.

Moving past all of them, we find ourselves joining a crowd headed towards one of the main thoroughfares. In a way, Hy-Annsil strikes me as being similar to the Europe I know from movies and tv, mostly small crowded streets where the pedestrians are just as crowded and there are few larger streets that still seem crowded. Another thing that strikes me is the melting pot of races here; Angels, High Beasts, Elves, Humans, the occasional Cosmo Dragon, even Demons, Vampires, Abyss Dragons, and those considered more traditionally dark.

It's interesting, how Cray is so similar but so different from Earth…

As we walk there's the sound of a scuffle and some shouting from a side street, but we ignore it and carry on. Moments later, I hear a voice shout, "There you are! Parameter alter! Code 13.a! Permissions 050715!"

Turning, I catch sight of a small dragon barrelling towards the Colony Maker and I. I felt my gut sink. His body was predominantly blues either powder or cobalt, with pinkish red bits and bobs jutting from him, and a quartet of damning black rings either encircling some odd devices floating above his shoulders or around his wrists.

Gravity Ball Dragon, the Grade One in the Ride Chain for Schwarzschild Dragon. And _he_ was the one who sealed away Blaster Blade, Blaster Dark, and Dragonic Overlord. I wonder if that means he's the same being, and his body changes with each Grade or if they're all unique bodies? Probably the second one… I mean, there's Phantom Blaster Dragon's Ride Chain but Fullbau, Blaster Javelin, and Blaster Dark were all separate from the dragon…

He scrambled in our direction, his eyes wild as he cried, "Parameter alter! Code 13.a! Permissions 050715!"

My mind blanked for a moment, trying to register the context for that. There didn't seem to be any. What? As he reached us, he used magic or whatever to float, looming above us. Taking a moment to think about it, I give the Colony Maker a look as if to say, _"Does he mean us?"_ Before turning back to him and declaring, "You what, mate?"

The various pedestrians had all backed away at this point, and I can hear people in the distance calling out. The dragon's panting, visibly disturbed and seemingly ready to snap when the Colony Maker answers my question, "Statement: Those are the codes and orders needed to alter mission parameters and form a battle group with the nearest commanding unit, priority being those with Ego."

I can hear shouting, and from the looks of it some knights have burst onto the scene, but they're a footnote to what the Colony Maker declares, "And I… I refuse to do so. I will not abandon you."

I'm nearly shocked by her words. She was choosing me over the Star-vaders, even though the option was right in front of her? I swallow, making a show of staring the dragon in the eye as I speak, "And I'm gonna have to refuse as well, as I'm no puppet of the Star-vaders."

"You defective scrap!" He roars as he brings one of his claws up in a swipe at my chest, but I'm pulled out of the way by the Colony Maker grabbing my shoulder and spinning me out of the way. She uses the leverage to swing her own fist into his snout, causing him to flinch back but he's stopped by me grabbing one of his arms and twisting my body to slam a knee into his stomach. I let go of his wrist this time as he reels back, looking more than a bit blindsided. I'm tempted to press the advantage, but the memory of a small girl's form collapsed against a tree trunk stops me.

One of the knights that I'd noted earlier steps forward, sword drawn and levelled at us as he announces, "The three of you, surrender now!"

I'm tempted to continue on fighting Gravity Ball and it's clear that he's just as willing, but in the face of the number of knights surrounding us… I put my hands up, I wouldn't win that fight even if I tried.

…ugh, my time here on Cray's been a mess.

{~}{~}

I sigh as the three of us are lead through the halls of what seems to be some sort of specialized prison, the few present features making it resemble the stark construction of an Earth prison. There are still differences though, in the fact that the halls and building are scaled up for larger races, the clearly more advanced technologies built into the cameras observing us and such, along with the fact that what few cells we've passed seemed to lack the bars I'm more familiar with prisons having.

Actually getting to this prison had been something of a trip, having been hauled into some heavily armoured vehicles and driven to a decidedly nondescript building despite its size, and I'm fairly sure magic's at work within it as it's a good deal larger than its exterior should allow. As we are led through, some of the knights split off and drag Gravity Ball Dragon with them despite the Cyber Dragon's protests, and eventually they move to separate the Colony Maker and I. Are they separating us for interrogations? I can only assume that much… Seeing what appears to be the start of panic on her face, I reach over and give her shoulder a squeeze as I murmur, "It… it'll be okay. Just be honest about what we… what I've dragged you into and what's happened since we met in Star Gate."

"I understand," And with that, she allowed herself to be pulled away. I hope she'll be okay…

After some more walking, I'm led into a dimly lit room, a table with some chairs set up around it set up in the middle. Seems that I was probably right about them interrogating us, unless they were separating us to kill us quietly.

I rather hope that's not the case.

Still, I take a seat, and sit quietly in the room, waiting for something to happen.

There're no clocks in the room, but I know that hours have passed when the door finally opens and two figures walk in. One I don't quite recognize, a knight in pseudo-samurai armour, his dull blue hair pulled into a ponytail and his expression dour. The other I recognize as someone I'd have wanted to avoid, an imposing dragon whose colouration was hidden under layers of armour and clothing (a surprisingly classy cravat at his throat), though some sort of azure energy was emanating from him and glowing through his armour, and his yellow eyes were fixed in a glare at me.

Claret Sword Dragon, the bastard asshole who will lead a rebellion against Blaster Dark Diablo in order to tear up the United Sanctuary in order to put under military rule, his military rule. That, of course, then ends with him calling Aurageyser Dragon using some bastardized form of Stride which tears up space and time something fierce, and then Aurageyser kills him when he stops being useful. Even if I wanted to steer him away from that, he just didn't exist in the lore for long enough for me to have any reason beyond wanting to avoid all the trouble he could cause.

The dragon's glare deepens as he pulls over an appropriately sized chair, while the knight simply takes a human sized one next to the dragon, very un-coincidentally on the opposite side of the table from me. I suppose I'm lucky that they aren't armed, but it's still an intimidating situation I'm in. The knight clears his throat, "Now then, I'll need you to clarify some of the information that we've received. Your name is?"

"Trent Blackmore, is the name I'm using," I answer, because it's not like that is my actual name.

The knight's eyes sharpen even as Claret Sword shifts menacingly, "That isn't your real name?"

"Well, if I'm just a butterfly dreaming I was human, at least I'm not trying to usurp someone's life," I waffle, philosophizing a bit on my situation.

Claret Sword growls in response, "You are one of the Star-vaders' tin toys, not a human."

"First, learn some philosophy you uncultured swine, as I was paraphrasing Zhuang Zi. Second, before I woke up in this body, I was a normal guy, home from university for the summer, living it up in Canada," I grouse, my back talk earning me a snarl from the dragon. Still the latter half of my declaration stops them short, Bedivere likely having some idea of the nations of Earth through Alfred while Claret Sword would have Kanzaki as his source. When they don't say anything, I remark, "And the penny drops."

"You make these claims, but I know that you are simply a spy, set amongst us by the Star-vaders to foster animosity and suspicion amongst us. Now tell me, why have you come here, admit your purpose!" The dragon all but roars at me, one of his fists coming down on the table between us and denting it.

I shrug, "I'm here to see if I can't get Alfred to help me get home, seeing as my only hope is probably through the Star Gate, which is deep in enemy territory at the moment. The other reason… was a personal one."

"To help that Star-vader escape, I suppose?" The knight asked, watching me intently.

I have to stifle a snort as I answer, "Hardly, that guy's no friend of mine, nor did I know he was here. I'd have honestly preferred it if he had never showed up before me, as it would have kept me off the radar."

"For what reason? So you could sabotage our defences? Or perhaps feed the Star-vaders intel from behind our lines?" Claret Sword accuses me even as he tries to loom over me from the opposite side of the table.

"Are you kidding me? I just said that my main goal, passing through the Star Gate, is impossible right now due to the Star-vaders' occupation of the nation. Besides, I'd be more than willing to give what knowledge I have of their movements to someone qualified," I remark, giving another shrug as I do.

The knight leans forward, his eyes sharpening, "And, what knowledge would that be?"

"Ah, ah, ah. You want me to scratch your back, you gotta scratch mine. Even if I want to kick the Star-vaders off Cray, I'm not just going to wallow in a jail cell or let you guys off me once I've told you what I know," I argue, causing both of my interrogators to tense.

The dragon growls, the noise seemingly causing table to vibrate, "And what is it you want?"

"A guarantee that the Colony Maker and I will be allowed to go free, no matter what happens." It's all I can really ask for.

"You want us to just let a pair of Star-vaders go free?" Claret Sword sneers down his snout at me.

I smile, "If you want to know what I know, then yes. Besides, she and I are on the lam from the Star-vaders."

The pair of them share a look, neither of them looking to happy with my response. Eventually, Claret Sword sighs, "Fine then. What did you do to Vowing Sword Dragon to cause him to change so?"

"Are you talking about his Яeversal? Because I'm fairly sure that was Chaos Breaker, not me," Seriously, these guys, this basic stuff…

The knight shakes his head, "We're not referring to that, we're referring to the fact that he is no longer running roughshod across the Dragon Empire and has instead taken to calling himself the Яogue Eradicator, Vowing Double Blade Dragon. He cited a person matching your description as the cause, saying that he first encountered you in the town Higuma near the border of the Dragon Empire and the Dark Zone, and then second time when in a fugue state after being defeated by Wolf Fang Liberator, Garmore. It was after the second encounter that he took on this new "Яogue" form and said that you had led him to it while he was struggling against the Void."

I stare at the knight, my eyes then dart to Claret Sword who looks like he isn't going to tell me this is a joke. Licking my lips, I speak, "I thought it was a dream?"

The looks they send my way in no way hide the disdain they're feeling for me at the moment.

{~}{~}

As I'm led through the prison to what I presume is my cell, I needle Claret Sword as best I can, "So, how's the room service in this joint? I mean, I know it's not going to be like the Marriott but I can at least hope."

"Cease your prattle."

Drab grey halls slide past in my peripherals, "Then can you tell me about the amenities? Like, is there an ensuite bathroom? Do I have a tv in my room, do I have pay-per-view? Actually, if I have pay-per-view, how would I pay it? When I check out? Do they prefer cash or credit, because I only have cash…"

"Desist in your inane blathering!" I'm really getting to him, I think I can see his shoulders shaking.

I shake my head, "Wow, the service isn't great here, I'll have to complain to the management."

"If you do not stop talking, I will see your head removed!" The dragon is shouting now, as he swivels about to loom over me.

I'm about to reply when another voice interrupts. This voice is deep, and rumbles through the hall, like the echoes of an avalanche, "No, Claret Sword Dragon, you will not. That would be _my_ job."

"Of course, sir. Well, Star-vader, this is your guard, you'd do well to show him proper respect," Claret Sword switches between submissive and smug as he speaks, before stepping aside and then out of my view, his footsteps trailing off as he goes.

I can't speak.

Standing in front of an open cell is another dragon, this one clad in onyx and azure armour, what scales that are visible being purple and black, wearing a tattered red cloak with a furred collar, and a great, jagged crystalline pole arm in one hand. I know this dragon, but the sight is corrupted by the great crimson-black ring spinning slowly behind his back, dying his form in a terrifying light.

This is not the Raging Form Dragon that I know of.

He's been Яeversed.

That's not supposed to happen. This isn't supposed to be happening.

I shake my head, "This, no, it can't, you can't- This shouldn't be happening! You were never Яeversed! I remember who was! I played a damn Glendios deck, I should fucking know!"

"Shut up."

The command stops me short, and I stare at the dragon, working my jaw as I try and put what I'm feeling into words. Instead, the Abyss Dragon, points to an opening in the wall, "Get in your cell."

 _AN: I AIN'T DEAD YET!_


	15. Chapter 12: Prison and the Friends You M

**Chapter 12: Prison and the Friends You Make There (Even the Despicable Ones)**

I let out a sigh as I consider my circumstances, locked away in a jail cell, with little to no chance of actually escaping, and a goddamn swerve in expectations in the form of a Яeversed Raging Form Dragon.

"Oh, will you stop that, you cretin?" A snide voice calls from the cell to the left of my own, where the Gravity Ball Dragon-that was apparently the possessor of the mind and personality of Schwarzschild Dragon-was imprisoned. He was snide, rude, and more than a little bit of a spaz, and he would not shut up. "Really, you don't even _need_ to breathe, so all you're doing is annoying the rest of us."

"Two things, first is that I _like_ breathing as it's something I've been doing for almost twenty two years. Second, your voice is infinitely more annoying than my sighing," I call back, getting a murmur of agreement from the Colony Maker. The Star-vader sputters at that, having no real response to both my assertion and insult.

There's a bark of laughter from a cell across the hall, the sound as harsh and rough as the person who laughed. In the cell across from mine is a man with lupine features, literally chained and fettered to different surfaces. He's grinning, all of his teeth on display as he speaks, "You know, it's kind of great that you guys are locked up in here with me. Usually I'm stuck here with maybe one silent sneering guard. Fucking with them gets old quickly, you know? Only so many ways to get 'em stuck in my cell before it just gets repetitive."

"Glad to know you're enjoying this, Fenrir," I reply, even as I begin pacing my cell. The wolfish man simply chuckles in reply.

"Already heard of me, have you?" he asks. "Can't say I'm too surprised."

I shrug, considering the figure. Fenrir, a member of the Genesis Clan who takes the stage in G as an antagonist, specifically causing problems in the United Sanctuary and making himself an enemy of Altmile of the Royal Paladins. The issue for me is that I don't know whether or not his malignancy is just him, or if he's actually working with anyone. After a few moments, I answer, "Well, you know, even bit characters can be memorable."

Rather than take offense, he starts howling with laughter at that, his various bindings flexing as he shakes within them. "If I'm a character, then _what the hell are you_?" he asks a grin on his face half menacing and half interested. "Calling me that… It implies that you think there's a _difference_ between you and me. 'Characters' don't refer to themselves as such. So what does that leave you? Actor? Writer? _Stagehand_? Audience Member? …Or that _little brat out front_ that has to take care of everyone's way home when the show's done?"

"In the case of the 'play' that is the United Sanctuary, I'm the guy that has trawled through the summary online. Not really much of one to try and interfere with it, not until recently, I suppose," I reply blandly.

"Oh ho? Care to tell me the reviews?" Fenrir asks, his eyes alight with mirth. "I figure you might not want to spoil the ending, but I'm insatiably curious how my ' _performance_ ' goes over."

"You're a menace to any stage you perform on, as you have a propensity to chew up the scene beyond what you deserve," I answer as I lean against the bars of my cell, meeting his eyes.

The wolfish man burst out laughing again. "If they need a stage to tell their story, then they should get better at acting! I'm doing them a service in that respect!" Then he tilts his head and smirks. "Oh, you like to _play_ , don't you? It's been so long since someone _would_... I think we're gonna have lots of _fun_ together."

"Eh, you're not really my type though," I shoot back, making sure not to flinch from his gaze. "Too furry for my tastes."

He smiles knowingly. "You're not the first one who's said that, you know? Though we can play in other ways if you're not comfortable…"

"I'd rather _not_ ruin my current shelter, even if you want to have your fun. You can get away with wrecking this place, but I'm legitimately in danger of dying if I get involved." Seriously, this guy probably doesn't even have to worry about a big angry dragon killing him if he tried to get out of his cell. Said dragon's chest rises and falls in rhythm, though I'd have to be an idiot to think that he's actually asleep.

There's the sound of twisting metal and ripping fabric as the various bindings snap off his body. The man spares a second to mournfully tisk at the broken fetters before turning his attention back to me, charging his bars and rattling them in a show of force, "Aw, c'mon! You're gonna talk all this good shit and then not put out? Could you be any more of a _tease_?!"

"And now you're just being creepy, dude. I ain't here to entertain you, I'm here so my friend and I can give the information we have to someone… of the right priorities and then hide until the Invasion is repelled," I chastise him, stepping away from the bars.

"And how's _that_ going?" Fenrir asks with a chuckle. "They don't stick someone with me if it's 'for their own protection.'"

"What the heck would a derelict, defective piece of scrap know?" the Invader asks, _just_ loud enough that everyone could hear the insult.

I chuckle, "I know that your plan to seal away the Royals, Shadows, and Kagero failed hard enough that Link Joker didn't just leave you to your own devices, but _abandoned_ you."

"Shows what you know!" it howled, voice raising about two pitches involuntarily. "This damnable planet is an Aberration of Aberrations! And for my mission, I accomplished my 100% of my primary, secondary, and tertiary objectives without error! It was only improbability stacked on improbability that this planet didn't fall when I acted!"

"You really believe that? Well, whatever... Seeing as you're still stuck in the lock up with the rest of us. Hell, you're probably worse off than the rest of us, seeing as you aren't even trying to ingratiate yourself to the locals," I answer, smirking at the Gravity Ball's distress.

"I've gotten out of this purposeless hole 38 seperate times on my own. 39 shouldn't even be a mental challenge for scrap like you."

I laugh outright at that, "Well, then go ahead, do it. I bet that they'll love to catch you again, hell, they might just kill you this time."

"38?" Fenrir asks with a chuckle. "Impressive, but that has nothing on my 472!"

The Colony Maker's voice rang out, "Query: Is this a challenge?" I could see the Abyss Dragon's eye open.

"They've _tried_ ," Gravity Ball shot back at me.

"How many times, I wonder? Once, twice, three times? Have they tried again since you were reduced to your current state?" I ask, feeling more than a little bit vindictive, "I wonder what'll happen if they kill you again?" After a moment, I continue to Colony Maker, "And no, this is not a challenge. Or, if it is, then you and I aren't a part of it."

"Understood," was her simple response. And the eye, mercifully, closed.

{~}{~}

"You're saying that you believe that we're going to see more people get Яeversed?" Fenrir had already popped his own bars, and when Raging Form didn't react at all, he stopped briefly to shoot the breeze.

"Oh, wow!" the tiny Cyber Dragon squeeks. "Is _that_ your important information? Next are you going to explain to them how a Parent Star's light refracts when it hits a medium of Nitrogen, Oxygen, and other assorted gasses to make a blue sky? Chaos Breaker's toys are obvious, and he never stops wanting more."

"No, my important information is who is _on the list_ to be Яeversed, as well as what their actual use in Chaos Breaker's plan." I shoot back, taking a moment to poke my arm through the bars and flip the bird at the Gravity Ball Dragon.

"The _list_ that I was not supposed to be on, correct?" Raging Form speaks up for almost the first time since we had arrived.

I nod, "Right, you're exactly right. You were never supposed to be Яeversed! Ren never lost until he ended up fighting Kai's Яe-Birth deck, and there was never a Яeverse unit in the Shadow Paladins!"

Raging Form's eyes narrow to slits. "You know our Vanguard. And Kagero's Vanguard. That is _dangerous_ information."

"Yeah, I also know the guy who's both the Royal's and the Gold's Vanguard as well, and the Aqua Force's too!" I can't believe these guys, thinking I'm full of shit.

"And you openly boast this fact," Raging Form growls. "Especially when there is an enemy agent who has proven on _multiple occasions_ to be able to escape, and has made _multiple attempts_ to return to the Invasion Force. One who holds a grudge against such a person. You are either a _fool_ , or _so far out of your depth_ that it might be kinder to kill you now before you drown in things that you do not understand."

"Please, _do_ let him go on," Gravity Ball pleads. "Watching him dig his own grave is the most entertaining thing I've gotten to record since coming to this mudball."

"It's not like the actual leaders of the Link Joker don't already have an idea of who they are, seeing as they plan to use the connection between Vanguards and Avatars to invade the Earth while they go about their main campaign here on Cray," I rant, feeling more than a bit put out from how everyone's just dismissing what I'm saying. "As for the little shit escaping, I say just kill him for good the next time he tries to pull a runner."

"When do you think they killed me?" he chortles. "I might have only escaped here 38 times, but they've tried to kill me at least 60! And it still hasn't stuck! And torturous death doesn't phase me. I just turn off the pain." He pauses, and the next thing out of his mouth is actually thoughtful, "...Makes the whole thing rather boring actually."

"I mean, my main question is how do I turn off my own pain, because that sounds super useful?"

"Scrap!" he shouts back. "If you were anything more, I shouldn't _need_ to tell you how that works!"

"Listen here, you little lawn ornament! I got dunked into this body, I barely know how to run forever and how to sort of force myself into sleep mode. I was a human until I got pushed in here," I shake my head, and then shove both my hands through the bars to give both birds a showing to the Cyber Dragon.

"There's no Sleep Mode, you defective piece of shit," Gravity Ball states flatly. "Infiltration models like you might be able to outwardly mimic sleep, but your mind is still focused on outward stimuli." The bastard gets thoughtful again. "The only thing that is internal is… Not Maintenance. Not even _you_ could be that dumb. You accidentally accessed the Linked Neural Network!? Idiot!"

"Pfft, I've totally slept a bunch since I got here. Though that Neural Network might have been how me and Vowing had our dream powwow, I figured that I was just having a weird dream," I reply, thinking on that whole situation.

"Well, this has been a fun sit-in," Fenrir cut in, ears twitching as they caught something we couldn't hear yet. "But it seems it is my time to bid you all ' _Adieu_!' Until later!"

"Hey, they basically just toss you back in here whenever they catch you, right?" I ask the wolf man as he stands up.

"389 times so far," he admits.

Considering my words carefully, I ask, "If they decide to do that, would you pick up a pizza for me? They haven't fed me the whole time I've been in here."

"You don't need to eat, Defect," Gravity Ball whines from the next cell over.

"Eh… Pizza's are a bit big," Fenrir waves it off. "And probably going to get wrecked. I might not mind breaking out, but it loses all it's fun if I don't at least put up a _token_ effort to keep them from catching me."

I nod, he's right, "Well, consider this: you've broken out of prison 472 times, but how many times have you broken _in_?"

"You absolute _madman_." Even though he's saying that, the grin on his face is a real sight to see.

{~}{~}

"And that's how it happened," I explain to Claret Sword through a slice of pizza, the dragon positively spasming in rage from where he stood outside my cell. "Cost me 50 credits too! Did he make me overpay?"

A long haired person in shinto looking robes took a moment to study the boxes before speaking up. "Nah, he got them from a pretty fancy place." Then he turned to look at Fafnir's cell with a curse. "Hope this will hold him."

"What, why? He could have just gone to a sketchy pizza place and they would have been just as good and cost about half as much!" Even though I was complaining, I still kept eating the slice.

Fenrir sighs from his cell, a slice in hand, "You can't hold me with something so basic. The matrix will barely handle a twitch."

"Wait, seriously?" the… kid, holy shit, he is young, cries. "Agh, now I have to revise the entire array!"

Fenrir makes a whipping sound around his slice of pizza, though he seems to be enjoying himself. "As for your question… Consider it repayment for giving me a slight reprieve from the mediocrity of repetition. Next time, it'll cost more."

"Seriously? Here, I thought we were becoming friends or something," I reply, though I'll admit that I'd be willing to pay the price if I'm going to be stuck in jail for a while.

Clarent Sword's face at being ignored has nothing to do with it.

"'Course! Among other things, next time they'll actually have some poor bastards waiting back here in case I decide to humor you and come back. Keeping it intact is extra."

Then, the Colony Maker spoke from the cell next to mine, "The pizza… It tastes like grease, cheese, tomato paste, and bread. ...I like it."

"Why are you even bothering?! Neither of you need to ingest that biological slop for your continued functioning!" The Gravity Ball raved, having been very against eating and thus not having any of the pie.

Even Raging Form had eaten a few slices! Dragon size is a legitimate thing here. Good to know.

I laugh, "Because, I like eating. I've done it for the past 22 or so years."

" _This_ drivel again," Claret Sword growls. Then he turns to Raging Form. "And why did you not attempt to stop the escape?"

"My orders are only towards the Link Joker invaders," the other Shadow Paladin growls back, refusing to be cowed. "That the normal guards are unable to maintain control of one of their normal inmates is not my concern. My orders are to prevent their escape or things that would facilitate it. _Pizza and Pizza boxes_ … Do not qualify to that end."

 _Author's Note: WE CONTINUE. AS WE WILL NEVER STOP STOPPING. In other news, I'm one Valeos away from finishing the main part of my Blue Wave Deck._


	16. Chapter 13: A Foot in the Door

**Chapter 13: A Foot in the Door (The Bars Make it Easy)**

I stare at the man and dragon sitting opposite me, the stern expressions on their faces not making it difficult for me to deny them. "Like I said, you guys aren't the sort that I would trust with this information," I spoke, staring Claret Sword dead in the eye.

The dragon lets out a surly growl, "You couldn't be _more_ transparent in your disdain of me, but you aren't in the position to complain about your interrogators. You should be glad that we haven't been given clearance to push you harder for more information given what you've babbled in the air near those Star-vaders!"

"Oh no, I've just said things that they already _know_. If you don't mind me asking, how's Kanzaki doing these days?" I make a point to sound as genial as possible and watched the Abyss Dragon's every muscle tense. "He common knowledge to your _comrades_?"

And that is a rather large sword about three millimeters from my nose. Right Grade 3. Can kill me before I blink. "How do you-" Claret's bolting from his chair, all but roaring at me.

But, before he can actually take my head off, and now I'm wondering if I would survive that, the knight has grabbed his arm, "Claret Sword Dragon, you do not have the clearance to kill or harm this prisoner, desist. Now, what do you mean by what you just said?"

"Kanzaki, that's the name of Claret Sword's vanguard on Earth. I'm guessing that's not common knowledge?" I smile shakily at the knight as I explain, because he most likely saved my life. "I wonder what else he's hiding? Ooh, ooh, I know a good one! Has he told anyone about his encounter with Chronofang Tiger?"

"Chronofang Tiger?" The knight asked, casting a curious glance at the dragon who was now looking more than a little uncomfortable.

I lean back in my chair now, smiling like a cheshire cat at the dragon, "You didn't tell them? Anyone? My, oh my, that's a dangerous thing to do… Hiding the existence of a... new, old, or all of the above... and potentially powerful Clan from your Nation."

"You don't know anything!" Claret Sword exclaims, slamming his off hand down on the table and smashing a hole in it in his outrage.

Staring at him, I can't help but laugh, "Clearly I do, or you wouldn't be reacting the way you are. Actually, given how… hungry… you are for recognition, I'm surprised that you aren't on the frontlines, hunting down Star-vaders. Could it be that I'm important? Amazing."

"Stop, both of you. Star-vader, you will be escorted back to your cell, Claret Sword Dragon, I believe that there is much to be discussed from what we've learned today," The knight declares, eying both me and the Shadow Paladin.

{~}{~}

"So, you made trouble for them?" Fenrir asks from his cell as I'm let back into mine, and I smile at Raging Form.

He's been such a swell guy this entire time.

Still, I shrug at the beastman across the hall, "Eh, less that and more that I tattled on a little internal issue that they have going on."

"Oh, sounds juicy, care to hook me up?" He asks, leaning forward a bit. And here was the conundrum of possibly breaking time.

I shoot some finger guns at him and reply, "Can't, I'd probably get killed if I did."

"If it's in regards to some secrets of the Sanctuary… I think that it would be much more conductive to your continued existence if you didn't tell it those who aren't cleared to know it," Rumbled Raging Form Dragon from his position in the hall, his eyes cracked open to stare at us.

Under the pressure of the gaze, I fidget, "I wasn't planning to…"

"Seriously? I got you that pizza, and you're saying that the info isn't worth at least that much?" Fenrir inquires, sounding entirely unenthused with my refusal to spill.

"I'll admit, I'm quite interested in whatever it was that could get such a reaction," Gravity Ball muttered from his cell.

I flash a finger out of my cell at him and reply, "And _there's_ half the reason why I'm not saying shit." You could practically _hear_ the eye roll from Gravity Ball Dragon.

"The other half being?" The beastman asks, smirking at the exasperated Star-vader.

I shrug, "I have something of a sense of self-preservation."

"Ha! Pull the other one! It has bells!"

The Colony Maker pipes up from her own cell, "Outside of certain situations, Trent Blackmore has exhibited a strong sense of self-preservation."

"Pfft, seriously? This guy's willing to mouth off to the people who are jailing him, and you're saying that he can actually look after himself?" Fenrir burst out laughing at that, clearly having a ball.

"Affirmation: Given that he has been able to survive confrontations with a hostile Яeversed Luquier and unknown entity with Temporal Magic during which he acted reasonably rationally, yes I do."

I slam my face into my hands at that. "…Colony Maker, sweety, those _aren't_ things we wanted them to know. _Especially_ Gravity Ball over there."

"Hm? Oh, those two were _you_?" he asked, actual curiosity in his voice. "The patrol did pick out two other signatures before going dark…"

"Hey, Gravity Ball, eat a dick!" I tell him, because clearly, he needs more in his diet.

The little bugger actually sounds offended when he replies, "Well, if you wanted to keep it a secret you sure did a _wonderful_ job at that, seeing as that little bit of hocus pocus even got _the Clown's_ personal interest!"

My heart almost stopped. "Welp, time to fucking kill myself, because that's preferable to dealing with that crazy asshole's scrutiny!"

"Oh, not _you_ , but the temporal magic he considered quite… What is the colloquial word? Ah yes, 'Cute.'"

"I don't want him to have time magic, that's an entirely too terrifying world to live in," I reply, feeling my stomach churn at the thought.

"How badly was your brain scrapped?" he asked in almost genuine concern. It took a discerning palate to hear the sarcasm in his voice. "We _have_ Temporal magic. However, this planet wasn't considered a viable enough target to use it. The only interest was how subtle the entity was in its use. Hardly any temporal flux even with the magic active."

"I mean, you guys have macro-scale because it was used to freeze that one planet in time, but I didn't know how much it could be scaled down," I explain, feeling a bit superior for it. "Quick Raging Form, tell everyone, they have Time Magic!"

"Clearly," Came the dragon's dry response, an equally dry look on his snout.

"Because what exactly would you want them to _do_ about it, Scrap?" the tiny dragon snorted. "If we used it, then the timeline where they learned of it, this one, would cease to exist as a new one runs its course."

"You say that…" I mutter under my breath, thinking about what had happened with the whole Legion debacle. That whole situation was a hot mess that I hoped to avoid.

The Colony Maker's voice piped up, "Assertion: Even if that evidence was insufficient, it should be noted that Trent Blackmore was the one who crafted and executed the plan to get us out of Star Gate and to the United Sanctuary."

"Huh, I figured that you were the sort who couldn't plan his way out of a paper bag," Fenrir remarks, looking genuinely impressed for a moment. "Then again, you did get yourself captured and tossed in here."

"Video evidence suggests that his plan A is to run," Gravity Ball noted.

I shrug, "Retreat is always a viable strategy when outgunned. Only an idiot tries to fight when they're outmatched."

"It has its place, but when it's your default strategy, one has to wonder why you just don't surrender? Flee too far, and your enemy will strangle you when you have run into its chosen battlefield, that having been only place left to run."

"That's when you hope that you led them to a place where you can kill them, either that or that you made some strong allies along the way," I remark, feeling more than a little sheepish. "Sadly, I seem to only have one strong ally with me. Thanks for sticking with me, Colony Maker."

"You're welcome," Came her soft reply.

The moment was ruined by the sound of false retching. "Ugh, sentimentality. What use has that in war?" Gravity Ball asked. "Losses will be inevitable and production models outnumber the planets. Mitigate them? yes. But to go out of your way to protect non-essential personnel? It only weakens your formation, inviting destruction. That model with you might be fledgling but all Link Joker know this. Ego exists only for the benefit of the Clan. If you are to be sacrificed, it will be for the Clan's progress."

"Wow, it's like we _like_ not being emotionless, soulless machines. What a fucking way to live," I reply, sliding both my hands out to flip the birds at the robot dragon. "Some people like to be more than just spiteful little shitheels."

"Oh? How about we ask the other two? Which thought process is the one that they understand? Reports on the Shadow Paladins state that they sacrifice their own allies for the commander's power. There is less data on Genesis, but their commanders purge their own souls for strength."

"The Shadow Paladin way has changed somewhat, we who currently serve, do so and have decided to of our own wills. We shall sacrifice our lives, our souls, everything about our very beings for the sake of our nation and planet," Raging Form rumbles, his eye having shifted to stare at the Star-vader. Of course, the Revengers would have issues with the implication that things hadn't changed between their current paradigm and what it was under Phantom Blaster.

Fenrir, he just broke out laughing, "Purge our souls? Nah, you're a bit wrong there! We don't purge them, we sculpt and prune them, it's like we cleanse them of the bits we don't want. Like how I'm tempted to cleanse you."

"Charming," Gravity Ball noted. Then he seemed to address Raging Form. "Though if or when you're asked to die for your Nation, will you think it personal? That those above you just hate you and this is the most convenient method to get rid of you? No, otherwise you wouldn't be _here_ , watching over us. The only difference between the two jobs is that you get to rot here as long as we stay. Obviously, you do at least pay lip service to trusting that your Commanders and Kings wouldn't throw away your power and skill wantonly. What exactly is the difference from what I said?"

"You are forgetting the fact that you and yours have done… _This_ to me!" Raging Form howled. The Abyss dragon lunging right to the edge of Gravity Ball's cell. "And everyone is aware of what happened to the Eradicator, Vowing Sword Dragon when under the influence of this curse! How he, one famed and praised for his loyalty, lashed out at the very people he swore to protect! This? I can accept this measure, if it is for the safety of the Sanctuary and her people."

"How utterly disgusting," Gravity Ball huffed. "You all are infected with this base sentimentality and act like it's a _good_ thing! How can you not see that it's leading you down the path of annihilation?"

I shake my head, "Because you're a dumb machine thinks that he's better than everyone. I think that Raging Form's got the right of it here, seeing as Chaos Breaker's running around Яeversing whoever he damn feels like. Seriously, if these guys were less busy fearing the Void, then maybe they'd take it by the horns and steal the power for themselves."

"You believe that you can steal the power of the Void for yourselves? Don't make me laugh, you defect. It's like you believe that the Void is something to be controlled, when it shall swallow up everything when all of the Clan's goals have been completed," Gravity Ball laughs at me, clearly having the time of his life.

So, if only to mock him, I lean against the bars of my cell in an attempt to look at him and remark, "Well, a void is just a lack of something, an expanse of emptiness. Void's are to be filled with colour, sound, feelings, and whatever else you can throw into them. If one holds power, then it's up to whoever is viewing it to seize it for themself. If the void is to shackle people, then it's better to tear off the collar and steal what they can from it."

"Yes, black holes really do hold so much within themselves," Gravity Ball agreed, and you could hear the sneering smile a mile away. "And they use it to devour ever more. I should know, it's my specialty. _Devouring_ Lock. That brought this planet to its knees in one fell swoop."

"To its knees, huh? That's why the Link Joker are having such an easy time conquering the planet," I remark, getting a chuckle out of Fenrir and a snort from Raging Form. I then gesture with my hands outside the cell, trying to pull on the connection I had to the Void, to create a hand with its middle finger raised at Gravity Ball from the Void Energy. It ended up looking wispy and frail, occasionally billowing due to the weakness of the construct.

Truly, I am the classiest.


	17. KONO SPEEDO DA!

**April Fools**

Vowing Double Blade panted and swore, glaring hatefully at the machine across the craggy field. Star-vaders. Even though now he had damned himself to the same Clan, he chose to believe that vision. That Link Joker did not mean Star-vader. The thing in front of him sent a burst of noise that shouldn't have made any sense but that his mind instantly interpreted.

{"Order: 'Operative, you have been directed to return to the eighth forward base of operations, pending information appraisal.' Statement: Continued resistance is without point. Statement: Consciousness is not a requirement. Observation: Your technique is not yet perfected. Continuation: It is draining of your own power, you cannot continue this engagement."}

"Go recycle yourself!" he snapped back, internally cringing that that his mind was still so affected. It hurt, because in the back of his head there were odds running involving the current situation. And they weren't getting better.

But he'd Vowed. And he never backed down from a Vow.

Suddenly, he could feel his heart pulse against his chest. This one in tune fully with his magic and reverberating throughout his body and with it a phantom heartbeat. It was power, the kind so foreign but so familiar. His but not. And the sudden influx sent him to his knee.

His comrades twitched, in concern but before they could do more than shout in alarm, his body pulsed out. Electrical Void magic washed over everyone for a moment, and when they could look again, it was not the Яogue Eradicator, but there had been a resemblance.

The shapes were familiar, but the color palette… Could be nothing other than a direct copy of the Link Joker. Black metal had replaced his scales, Impossibly bright white armor, with golden highlights. A red jewel cut in such a way that it seemed to be glowing eyes of a face relieved upon his armor. The jewel had been carved away, for that was not the only face relief now. One each looked at the (former?) comrades on each side from its vambraces, and those behind him could make out another on his grieves. On each wing two golden lightning bolts stood guard over his wing's phalanges. And across the whole of his body… It had been infested with those pulsing black rings.

The creature was leaning forward on that sinister sword, that blade of the Void. Strapped across his chest a long strip of brown leather, holstering a separate blade. This one wrapped in what could only be Dragon Empire Sealing Cloth. The Ikazuchi Ichinoha, oh how low had it fallen?

His unblinking red eyes stared forward from behind a white helmet, just as polished as the rest.

Digging into the ground with its weapon, the creature got to its feet. Almost hesitantly, it flexed its left hand open and closed. "[Stride?]" it asked, its voice like that of Vowing Double Blade's, but as if it had been played through a synthesizer and mixed with bursts of white noise. "[I suppose the timeline was even more malleable at this point than we thought.]"

"Who are you?" _'What's going on?'_ {"Directive: Operative, Report."} The questions came from every side. And there was only one side he didn't want to know, didn't deserve to know…

"[Stride is the union of Now and Not Now. Past and Future. Quantum Entanglement of incredibly high fidelity. Possible only with a strong emotional resonance. Though this might be considered Stride Fusion, the act of Striding with yourself. Joining your own power to itself. I was once Яogue Eradicator, Vowing Double Blade Dragon. This shell of Link Joker is known as Vowing StaR-Яogue, Electromotive Dragon.]"

 _ **!**_

The shock was palpable radiating off everyone in waves. It gripped hard at the harness around it's chest. "[When we lost, when Cray fell… So too did our dreams. And now that consuming locust… Our shattered remnants. I can't say we're much better.]"

Then it looked forward. "[But this shell once made a Vow.]" It pulled the strap over its head, dragging the sealed sword forward. "[And that Vow has not been repealed.]"

It tossed the two blades high into the sky. And under its breath it prayed. "[Ikazuchi Ichinoha… Long have I been unworthy to carry you forward. But if you would have this broken soul one last time, I will fulfill my duty until my body is dust and my every memory wiped from this existence.]"

In answer, the sky lashed out with a bolt from the blue, striking the sealed sword on full and eviscerating the wrapping cloth. Then the two blades came hurling to the earth, and handles slapped into two waiting palms. The Ikazuchi Ichinoha in the right and the Fukuma no Kaina in the left.

Then he tilted his head slightly to look back at his soldiers. "[Do you trust me?]"

The platoon looked at each other nervously. That was the true question, wasn't it? Loyalty broken, recklessly throwing itself forward to make reparations. And now this? It could be only a trap, but it could also be salvation from a devil. One by one their faces hardened as they came to their answer. As one, they nodded.

This the "StaR-Яogue" returned. "[Then we must hurry. This fusion is temporary, but more importantly, this power-Stride must not be discovered by the Star-Vaders. At any cost. And the EMP my arrival inadvertently caused will soon fade. Which means that we can leave no survivors, and we must kill them now. Fortunately, we have a way… Lend me your strength.]"

The Star-vaders were not idle and seeing that this new force had made itself a foe, they leapt forward without fear. _'[It's funny. Two Clans separated by lightyears and millenia, discovering the same technique and using it for two completely different purposes…]'_ There were Four Star-vaders so far and the commanding unit. _'[First the left…]'_ He pulled upon his power. Black lightning began crackling between his two blades. **"[Electrolysis Lock.]"** The Ikazuchi Ichinoha tapped the Fumukma no Kaina, and the both pointed towards the advancing foes on his left.

 **CRACK!**

In an instant, they had been Locked. _'[Then the Right…]'_ **"[Electrolysis Lock.]"**

 **CRACK!**

"[Blade Hang!]" Magic and sword, barely more than a dagger to the adult dragon, were thrown to the Vanguard. Catching it in his teeth, the Cyberized Dragon glared at the lone invader remaining. _'[And collapse the Center!]'_ Part magic, part lunge, part launch, the Stride creature lunged at his last foe. It was a dance of blades, electricity, and sonic explosions. A strength greater than even what Nouvelle could casually call rained down and shattered the invader's remaining defense. The scorched ashes fell to the earth, blackened and scattered to the wind.

The Cyber Dragon twisted through the attack, his duty not yet done. _'[One… Four at once is probably going to be a personal best… But I can't take the chance.]'_ He called up all his magic, knowing this would likely knock him out when he returned but it needed to be done.

 _'This technique… It's been forbidden by the decree of the Emperor! This was why our Clan was tarnished! And-'_

 _'[In my time, there is no Emperor. No law. Only what I can carry is the remains of the Narukami. All else is only Link Joker.]'_ The contrary thoughts stopped, understanding, but not liking. _'[One request… This cannot get out. Not even to Trent. For that… I am going to put in a mental block. Link Joker can access your thoughts if they are not guarded.]'_

 _'Do it.'_

For this he needed his comrades. Four red spheres surrounded them, but there was no pain. Simply a request for strength. And it was given. And with it, mental access. A Block was placed in five minds, soon to slam down. Their power raced into the swords, a Narukami's natural magic much more in line with what he was about to do than those of those below him in his own natural time. That would help.

The four Locked Star-vaders rose up in front of the lone Cyber Dragon, their last thoughts if they existed, belonged only to them.

 **"[Thunder DELETE!]"**

Four bolts of black lighting hurled down from the sky and struck through the prisons, destroying all within. At the impact four blasts of light radiated out, one from each prison. When they had faded, the only hint that the Cyber Dragon had been there at all were an unconscious formation of Narukami Eradicators and a breeze of ash.

A short snippet by AbZHz101 on SpaceBattles


	18. Chapter 14 - Shadowy Talks

**Chapter 14: Shadowy Talks (Well, The Room's Brightly Lit)**

The guards leading me to the interrogation room are the same as the last few times, but there's a tension to them that wasn't there before, even Raging Form had seemed oddly on edge earlier. I nod in thanks to the guards as they hold the door of the room open for me and step past them, steeling myself for another run in with Claret Sword.

"So, _this_ is the most recent headache that we've been dealing with. Odd, I almost expected him to be… More."

The words are blunt, but not truly aggressive. They're a welcome difference to Claret's usual bark to sit down, but the speaker… well, maybe things are looking up for me. Sitting beside the usual samurai-esque knight is a man clad in midnight black armour, his sharp features hawklike and trained on me with an almost burning intensity. The words fall out of my mouth before I can stop them, "Blaster Dark."

"Indeed, and though you resemble the Perfect Guard units fielded by the Star-vaders, you apparently go by Trent Blackmore. I'd say that it's a pleasure to meet you but honestly, I don't really care," He remarks as he nods to the seat opposite him and the samurai.

I scramble into the chair, even though he's classified in the game as a Grade 2, this is the man known as the Hero of Darkness, and one of the two beings to ever expel their soul from a Lock to allow it to fight in the Liberation War. The man has an aura about him that states, "No, you can't take me."

Taking a moment to think, I break the ice with all the grace of a lame polar bear, "So, what do you think the chances are that Asaka'll ever let Ren know that she's into him and actually get through to him without climbing into his bed?"

Bedivere has his mouth in his lap, his only idea of what is being said from context, while Blaster Dark lets off a faint air of amusement. "Ren knows that Asaka is _infatuated_ with him. However, he also knows that even after all these years she still doesn't know him enough to truly _love_ him. And if that is the case, how can he make any feelings known in return?"

"Pfft, if I'm right then they'll be doing this little dance for the next few years, _at least_. _Aichi's_ more likely to have realized that he's stolen the hearts of his entire friend group by then," I reply, thinking back to the teen's charisma and the way he seemed to worm his way into the hearts of the people around him.

"And if it is successful, it will be time well spent. If not, then better that she never love him to begin with," Junos answers with a shake of his head, clearly at least somewhat amused by how things are unfolding.

I laugh, "You say that, but watching them dance around each other gets a _ittle_ old after a while. Though they'd make a cute couple."

"I'm sure _Pale Moon_ agrees," he states and suddenly that edge is back. The man currently means business.

Shrugging, I reply, "Well, listen, what happened with Luquier, is not my fault. Actually, it's more Amon's fault," I mutter half piecing it together as I say it. "He's the one who sold out to Chaos Breaker."

"You believe that the Dark Irregulars would simply sell out to the Star-vaders?" he asks, eyes narrowed to slits. "Despite their lust for power and control of the Dark Zone, they _are_ citizens of Cray."

"Sure he would," I don't even miss a beat. "If he felt that he needed to to maintain dominance over Reiji and Schaharot. It's a transaction to him, like some people would read the stock market, he'll read the allegiances and chances of the various factions. He doesn't see Cray winning, so he'll sell out to the Star-vaders."

There is a tiny tremor along the man's arm that says he's fighting back a knee-jerk response. Amon, despite the plethora of horrors to his name was still something like a friend. But he seems to be mentally realigning that with the fact that he was _Phantom Blaster's ally_ , not really _his_.

"Be this true, something will have to be done. Though I suppose someone who is claiming the knowledge you are would have a _suggestion_." The tone he put on that last word had only a hint of madness. A subtle reminder that wasting his time might end with a sword to the kidney.

I make a show of thinking before answering, "He'll flip back to Cray the moment that it's clear that the Star-vaders can't win."

"A show of force?" Junos asks, drawing a long breath through his nose, "I believe you can see the issue with that. The Royal and Gold Paladins defend the eastern boarder while Ezel roams the lands where we cannot contact. That leaves Dark Zone to we who know them, and one of our greatest shows of force is under the same spell that ensnared Luquier."

He isn't wrong, but that's because Cray's yet to start its counterattack. I take a deep breath as I reply, "Well, you have to understand that things _will_ change. I don't doubt that things seem bleak, but things are always darkest before the dawn."

"Selling hope with no substance is not what I need," Blaster Dark growls. "No not speak to me of Darkness and Hopelessness. To speak as though I had not been trapped in regret and pain and still found a way to stand with the United Sanctuary when my Clan was tattered and in ruins! But what I ask is strategy. Plans. If you claim to know things that we can't, then what are the Star-vaders military goals? How can we delay and deny them those? How can we turn those lost back, as at least you seem to have done once? As of now you are little more worth than one of Oracle Think Tank's crystal balls after it has cracked!"

"The Star-vaders are here to test a weapon that Chaos Breaker's made, as well as the power of Яeverse. The weapon is a Cyber Golem called Omega Glendios, it draws power from the suffering and hatred produced by the Яeversed, and is capable of destroying planets when fully unleashed," I explain, trying to get the depth and breadth of Glendios across to the knight. "The act of releasing those who have been turned is only a stop gap measure, as Chaos Breaker will create another set of golems called Яeverse Cradles to fuel Glendios."

Junos took another long breath and visibly calmed. "Thank you for that." Then he tilted his head and stared hard again. "Given the adversarial nature of your last… _discussions_ I understand you have said little of your motives. It seems you consider me at least in part someone worthy of whatever it is you plan, so explain it to me… What makes a Star-vader turn against its own? What makes a man give up everything on a side that currently seems to be winning for those he really should know or care nothing about? ... _Why should I trust your words_?"

"I'm not, I'm not a Star-vader. Sure, I woke up in the body of one, but I'm just a guy from Canada. A university student who's caught up in some shit that I can barely keep up with, and I'm having trouble dealing with all this. But ultimately…" I stare him dead in the eyes as I trail off, biting at the inside of my cheek as I explain. "I just want to go home, see my parents, play with my dog, go to my brother's wedding. And if I teamed up with the Star-vaders then they'd help me get back to my Earth… So they could crush it too."

"That is…" Junos begins looking at Bedivere. "It is a human answer. One that is slightly longer sighted than most, but it is human at its core. Though if you claim to be from an Earth not connected to our world… That begets questions. And I make no promise as to a successful return."

"You guys have the Star Gate, which has let you guys contact the Marvel universe, I'm sure with enough trial and error then I can get home. As for what questions you have for me… fire away," I answer, sweeping my arms out.

"Who would you consider to be the leader of this invasion force?" Bedivere asks, speaking up for the first time.

I nod, "Of the Star-vaders in general? Chaos Breaker Dragon. Of the forces that are invading currently… I'd say that the responsibility is split between Chaos Breaker, Infinite Zero Dragon, and Nebula Lord Dragon. Though I do know that Garnet Star Dragon is kicking about."

"So if your Earth is not the Earth with which we are familiar… How do you know what you claim to?"

"The Earth I'm from does have the game of Cardfight Vanguard, though it's nowhere near as popular as it is on the one you're all familiar with, but there's also an anime. That's how I know about what has happened, is happening, and will happen here on Cray and over on that Earth," I explain, it's not unexpected for them to question my origins and the source of my knowledge.

There was a shared look and something passed between the two knights. "Who would you say was the focus of this… Anime?" Bedivere asks.

"Aichi Sendou is, without a doubt, the main character for the first three seasons. They chronicle his actually starting to play to get his copy of Blaster Blade back from Toshiki Kai after Morikawa stole and wagered it, and all the way up until he helps end the Star-vader Invasion," I gesticulate as I explain, seeing as I don't want to put all my cards on the table. Legion Mate's a fucking trip and a half.

Bedivere raises an eyebrow. So they can totally believe that Aichi was the main character. Probably not much of a surprise. "And how often would you say that the focus shifted to the Craian perspective?"

"It slides over to the Cray side of things more and more as the series progresses and things become more and more clear. There's also the fact that events on that Earth mirror events here on Cray, so it's easy enough to keep track of," I keep going, trying to lay it out plainly.

Junos tsked. "So it is unlikely that you know the exact forces that would be deployed at any given time. I know a bit about how their decks work as opposed to our formations and sometimes they can leave much to be desired. Still, how far would you say that _your_ Vanguard has gotten? I'd assume at least far enough that Clarent's connection that you were _so kind as to bring up_ means that it either becomes relevant later in the war or that something _else_ happens."

"It's a few years into the future beyond this point in time, and there were a few incidents between then and now that would count as large and dangerous events to Cray," I answer, remaining a bit vague on the details.

"Which presumably you would be willing to inform us of when the time draws closer, assuming both that we are all still alive and you are still here," Junos agreed with a smile that seemed to be much more showing of his teeth than something happy. "Though seeing as the mind can forget and all parties intend on upholding any bargain struck it might be good just to get an overview. As you've stated, these problems are likely years in the coming and it is possible or even likely that you might at some point forget, and unintentionally leave something pertinent out that we might need. So by all means, _continue_."

"Except for the fact that I have a robot brain now. I don't think I _can_ forget," I shot back. Seriously, I just want to keep somethings to my chest…

"Which means nothing if you are to be incapacitated beyond what we can comprehend or resuscitate, if you were to die, or if you were to leave before we became aware of the problems you could alert us to." He put both hands on the table and spoke softly, so that he had to be strained to be heard. Low enough that he knew that if he was heard, I was paying attention. " _Effectively_ , if I think that you might be holding something back that could save lives, especially for the United Sanctuary… I can make it _very_ difficult for you to get to Star Gate."

"Which is fair… but, honestly, most of what I know has to do with the Star-vader Invasion. What I know about Claret Sword, his Vanguard, and all that is less than I'd like, but enough for me to make conclusions," I explain, while still conceding the point to Junos.

"That would still be more than we know now," Bedivere points out.

"As I said, even just an overview of the rest before we focus on the problem at hand would suffice," Junos agrees. "It might put some of the Star-vaders' actions into context."

I sigh, "Well, honestly, not too much is known about the Star-vaders' origins, just that they appeared in space one day and started wrecking planets before eventually setting their sights on Cray. In my opinion, they probably did it as a test of their forces' strength and skill, seeing as Cray is known to be the home of many powerful existences."

Junos raised an eyebrow, "We're _that_ well known?" Then he shook his head. "I'm lead to believe that the Star-vaders themselves are not an entire clan but part of one. Is that true and what would you say their defining characteristics are?"

"They're a sub-clan of the Link Joker, though for the longest time they seemed to be the only members of the Clan. Their defining characteristics are the fact that all of their units are Cyber beings and that they use Lock, and benefit from using it," I answer, though the Deletors would be a fucking trip.

"You said 'that changed,'" Bedivere pointed out. "How?"

"After the Star-vader Invasion, there'll be another instance when the Link Joker end up threatening Cray. The Planetary Collision Incident, though it'll also be known as the Messiah Scramble on Earth," I explain, leaning back in my chair as I think back on the details. "A rogue planet by the name of Brandt will end up on a collision course with Cray, though it's being guided by the inhabitants of the planet, the Deletors. They're a race of twisted aliens who stalemated with the Star-vaders when they were attacked and they mutually assimilated each other."

" _Charming_ thought," Junos stated. "And I'm assuming these would be a seperate Sub-clan? What is their specialty?"

"They are a seperate Sub-clan, and their specialty is in their name, they Delete. It's like Lock but more insidious, in that rather than making them unable to interact or be interacted with, they make the target unable to defend themselves, sap them of their strength, all while being able to hammer away at them. Oh, and if they Delete someone, they can usually get some Locks off," I'm basically tripping over the details, but I hope they don't ask me what they look like, because they are _hard_ to describe.

"So assuming that we manage to overcome the first force, we can't let our guards down for when these things attack," Junos muttered. "Though I'm still unsure of how this connects to Claret Sword."

"He's part of a different incident that happens a few years after the Messiah Scramble." It's a simple enough piece of information, hopefully he'll let it drop for now…

" _Go on_ …" Junos says with slight glare.

I shrug, "With his encounter with Chronofang Tiger and Gear Chronicle, he wishes to ensure the safety of the Sanctuary… By putting it under his military rule."

Junos slightly frowns and Bedivere _severely scowls_ at that thought, but Junos waves it off. "Gear Chronicle, what are they like? Since you were so concerned about him meeting a new Clan before." He is laughing behind that drawl.

"They're a clan that use time magics for fuckery, including setting up their formations more advantageously for ambushes and stuff, as well as throwing people to the ends of time and space," I explain with a shrug, feckin Gear Chronicle.

"Is that _personal disdain_ I hear in your tone?" Now he's _really_ laughing.

"I'm not a fan of fighting Gear Chronicle, okay? They're kind of annoying and bullshit!" I grumble, crossing my arms as I lean back.

"What exactly do they want? Are they a threat to Cray as Link Joker is?" Junos moves on.

I shrug again. "To my knowledge, the Gear Chronicle isn't supposed to be a threat to Cray, but… I don't know about Chronofang Tiger's plans all that much, just that he and his faction are planning… something."

Junos narrowed his eyes, but then the moment passed. "You mentioned a 'Garnet Star Dragon.' How does he factor into this?" Bedivere asks.

Pursing my lips, I explain as best I can, "Well, he's sort of the Star-vaders' back up plan? It's weird. Basically, he and a few Star-vaders go back in time and super Яeverse Blaster Blade in order to make Cray more vulnerable when they attack in the present… but it's all some weird time bubble that's entirely self-contained and doesn't actually change things."

"So you mean to tell me, that even if we manage to repel the invaders now, they will have a technique that we have effectively zero ways to defend against and will simply have to trust in versions of ourselves without this information to succeed?" Junos asks, closing his eyes and rubbing his head as if he's getting a headache. " _Brilliant_."

Then he opens his eyes and focuses back, "You mentioned that you have your own Vanguard Game on your home Earth. Did any of the Яeverse get a new card _after_ the one that depicted them as Яeversed?"

"Um, well, Luquier's a big one." It was impossible not to notice the weight lifting off of Blaster Dark's shoulders as I said that. "Then there's a Leo-pald, but that's about all there were before I woke up on Cray," I answer, scratching at the back of my head.

"We haven't been contacted by Zoo that Leo-pald has been Яeversed," Bedevere notes.

"Which means you have a rough idea of who the Invaders are going to target for Яeversal," Junos states.

I nod while thinking about my meeting with Nouvelle and Raging Form, "Yeah, but there's a chance that things have changed… and hell, they already have."

"Raging form has reported you telling him that ' _he shouldn't have been Яeversed_ ,'" Bedivere stated evenly. "Perhaps… When precisely would the Яeversed Units have come back to themselves? During the War or After?"

"Mostly, if not all, during the war but late in it, hell, the final battle isn't against a Star-vader, but to bring a Яeversed Unit back to their senses," I'm pretty sure at least, though Luquier apparently had some Void left in her after the war…

Bedivere began stroking his chin as he put the pieces together. "Then from what you've said of their goal being this new super-weapon that bases its power off of the Яeversed… It might be that they considered the method by which Vowing Sword returned to his sensibilities to be a refined technique. Thus they believed they would need more Яeversed than initially thought to ensure that the weapon is operable. So it is likely that there will be more Яeversed than what you know of, but they will still strike for the same targets, just some new ones as well."

Junos nodded as he continued on from there. "Which means that knowing whom they were initially going to target could help us build a profile of other potential candidates." Then he smiles and it's just a bit mocking. " _See_? Talking with others can be much more helpful than keeping all the information to yourself."

"I mean, that's what I came to the United Sanctuary to do, but I don't trust Claret Sword for shit," I grouse at him.

Junos looks around as if to see if a giant Abyss Dragon had materialized within the last 3 seconds. "There is a _distinct lack_ of Claret Sword at the moment," Junos again dryly points out.

I stare at him blandly, "Hence why I was willing to disclose." He just smirks and shows his palms.

Shaking my head, I can't help but sigh at the antics of this guy. Seriously…

{~}{~}

I wave to the others as I return, putting on jovial airs and smile winningly at them as I exclaim, "I'm back~!"

"Damn, and it was actually quiet here for once. Go back, you useless scrap," Gravity Ball spits from his cell, and I make a point of sticking my tongue out at him.

Bursting out laughing, I do a little shake as I cheer, "Ah, but my least favourite neighbour, today's been a wonderful day! How can I not burst with joy like the rainbows bursting in my heart?"

"Personality reboot 053," it suggested in a dull tone.

Then, a soft voice called from the cell I was passing, "Inquiry: What has occured to make this day so exciting?"

"A) Not gonna do it, shitlord, and b) my dear, is that I had a meeting with someone who was infinitely more helpful than Claret Sword was," I explain with a grin at the Colony Maker.

Fenrir gave a chuckle at my insulting of Gravity Ball, but stopped when Raging Form stepped up to loom over me, his voice a rumble, "And? Did you cooperate?"

"I sang like a canary in a coal mine," I smile up at him, and receive a simple nod of approval from him as I sidle into my cell.

Today has been a good day.


	19. Chapter 15 - Jailhouse (Un)Lock

**Chapter 15: Jailhouse (Un)Lock**

I stare at the samurai standing before me, his stoic grimace not giving away much.

"I'm free to go?"

"Not as such," he states, shaking his head. "Rather, consider it a 'work release program.' Where you aid us in dealing with the Яeversed in exchange for your freedom in the future." Fenrir is behind him laughing at this whole thing silently. The guard throws him into his cell on his head.

"That, uh, that sounds a bit like I'd be on or near the frontlines…" I reply, feeling more than a bit nervous.

He nods, "Yes, you'd likely be near both offensive and defensive operations." Well, at least he's not pretending that this is something else...

"Star-vader operations don't exactly tend to respect the enemy's supply lines as non-combatants, moron," my ever-present headache tells me. "'Front' is a bit of a misnomer."

"Piss off, I'm going to be in real and present danger," I snarl, trying to work this over in my head. While helping them would get me in their good books, it would also put me in danger. I can't swing on the same levels as some of these people. After a moment, I ask, "And if I don't agree?"

"Then you will be required to remain in the prison, _indefinitely_ ," Bedevere replies. There was no hesitation or care in his voice. Blaster Dark knew what I wanted and how to leverage that...

Sucking in a breath, I answer quickly, "Well, I suppose that answers that. Looking forward to working with you in the future."

"Query: What of myself?" The Colony Maker chimes in, sounding almost scared.

Nodding at that, I look up at him, "Right, what about the Colony Maker?"

"She is of no use to us, it's likely that she will be required to remain here with the dragon," the Samurai shrugs.

"So you're going to make us take up resources to guard low priority targets? Nebula Lord would be making a treatise on the inefficiencies." That actually got a small frown. "The Egoling trusts the idiot for some reason. Don't know what lunacy he fed her, but it's the main reason that you even caught the three of us last time. And as for me… There's no statistical advantage to going back to the Star-vaders at this point. It's simply a stupid move."

Listening to the Gravity Ball Dragon, a frown crosses my mouth, and I reply, "Are you fucking trying to get in on my new gig? You've been nothing but a nuisance and a thorn in my side, as well as the reason as to why the Colony Maker and I were caught."

"And, my expertise would help with predicting the movements of the other Star-vaders," The Cyber Dragon shoots back from his cell. "I know their favourite stratagems, I've actually had to perform simulations against them before so I have more experience than you do, and a bit more importantly, I actually know how to use tactics that aren't 'Run Away in a Straight Line!'"

"I have other tactics and such, you nearly got a facefull of them even, but they just weren't useful most of the time. You're also liable to betray us the instant you have a chance," I parry, really, who does this little shit take me for.

"How much of your head is broken?" he rages. "That is the most asinine, illogical, moronic thing you've said yet… And that is _saying_ something! How in the world a being ruled by emotions such as you came to be in the Link Joker I will never understand!"

"Because fuck you, pay me. I never asked for any of this," I reply, seriously, I just want to go home.

"Then clean out your auditory receptors or ask that Egoling if you don't believe me. I wouldn't, because it would make no logical sense. There is nothing that I can gain by trying to betray you to the Star-vaders."

"How so, it could easily be used by you to leverage a position to actually get back into their good graces," I answer with just as much venom.

"They've already made up their mind about me. And… how do Craians say it… Nothing in Heaven or on Earth could alter that decision at this point."

"And how do you know that? You in contact with them? Is this some sort of concealed collusion on your part?" I ask, considering pushing my head into his cell to stare at him.

"Read access, dumbass. Through the Network. They haven't bothered taking it down just yet, but they did take my Write Access. These are pretty basic things. Another reason you need my help."

"And how would that help me out? Also, I don't know anything about computers beyond how to use one. No programming knowledge here," I reply.

"If you knew about it, you'd know what the Star-vaders already know about you. And that mystery-female you managed to annoy into homicidal rage."

"Okay, I didn't mean to do that. I didn't know that Luquier would go immediately to homicide," I respond, feeling more than a little sheepish. I'd been hoping that I could force her into a breakdown like I did to Vowing…

"My point."

"Not really," I reply, but then look up at the knight. "So, about the Colony Maker, I can take her along, right?"

"I will have to inquire with my superiors on this matter, as to whether or not she would be allowed to accompany you," The samurai answers noncommittally. Even if I can get out of here, I'd rather not abandon the Colony Maker…

"Proof of skill would help your case…"

"Not that yours would, it would probably make us look a lot worse," I shoot back.

"They threw you in here to see if you could 'fix' the Abyss Dragon. Manage it and you'd have an actual bargaining chip."

"Fixing people's hard, and besides, I have no idea as to how to really help him. Яeverse works differently for everyone, after all."

"You know about how Яeverse works?" there was actual interest in his voice. "Chaos Breaker explained the bare minimum about it whenever he is forced to at all, and that is a rare day by default."

I shrug, "It's a weird sort of thing, combining the energies of the Void with a mental breakdown or break. It basically forces people to act in a manner similar, but different to their usual ways, though Raging Form's been a bit of an outlier from what I've seen."

There is a long pause as almost all focus is turned to the scowling Abyssal Dragon listening with his arms crossed over his chest _daring_ someone to say something to his face.

"The issues it uses to cause this breakdown… Examples would be useful again," Blaster Dark's voice chimes in and suddenly I have to wonder how long he's been listening to everything. "I keep telling you that sharing everything can only be helpful."

I throw my hands forward, not that he can see them. "I didn't honestly expect to have to deal with the Яeverses in an intimate capacity-"

"-Oh my! So forward!" Raging Form's eye twitched. "But now here you are, and here the problem is. So…"

I shrug, "Well, in the case of Vowing Sword, it was making him believe that there were traitors hidden amongst the Dragon Empire. For Ethics Buster, it was a matter of reaching a new plateau of strength due to feeling as if he was stuck at his previous one.. It varies, as I said."

"And Our friend here has taken it on himself to portion some of his own magic to silence the whispers so simply asking him would not be an option. But would it be tailored to the individual?" Baster Dark asks. "And if so… Well you claimed knowledge of some of our lore. What would you know of Raging Form?"

"He's a former member of the Royal Paladins, specifically that he used to be a Cosmo Dragon and a dedicated member of the the clan. He was seduced by Phantom Blaster to work with him during his rebellion, and became the Abyss Dragon that he is today, if I recall correctly," I offer with another shrug.

"As could be said of most of the Shadow Paladins. Except for being a dragon, that is a bit rare," Blaster Dark agrees. "We are Revengers because we know that we were misled. And so we will extract the vengeance we can against the enemies of Sanctuary for the Revenge we cannot take upon ourselves. Because in this day and age to stand back and not fight is to harm those who we should be protecting."

"The other part, that I recall, is that he was offered the chance to return to his post in the Royal Paladins, but refused as he thought himself tainted by his deeds," I continue, feeling more than a bit uncomfortable.

"And _look at me_!" Raging Form snarls, throwing himself forward for the first time in a while, the ire that he was known for blazing in his eyes. "Can you not see that as true! Cosmo Dragon no more am I! And it was by my own hand! Phantom Blaster Dragon might have offered the poisoned apple, but it was my choice alone to partake of it!"

"You made a mistake, trusted someone you shouldn't have, it happens to everyone. Besides, look at you now, you're here working to help everyone and save them from the Star-vaders, even with the Яeverse eating away at you," I swallow the lump in my throat, as I consider my next words. "You made a mistake, and now you're trying to make up for that."

"I will never atone for what I have done. This… I deserve far worse." The Ring began to pulse. "What have I done over these last weeks? Stood vigil over a mouse while my brothers and sisters die or worse to save our lands? How could that ever be penance?"

"I think the Яeverse is eating through his shield! Defect, if you've got something… If that crazy talk means anything, you might want to pull it out now or he'll go nuts!"

"Yeah, you've been doing that, but that doesn't mean your time's been wasted. Would you rather be out there and lose control? Fall into the clutches of Chaos Breaker's manipulations and take the lives of your comrades under them? You're doing what you can to withstand him, but that's no permanent solution," I reply, trying to get through to the dragon.

"Maybe… I just want to be put down like a feral beast... _That_ seems like a fate I deserve."

"Unacceptable," Blaster Dark snaps. "If you feel you haven't atoned, then remember Alfred's condemnation of our rebellion. Our punishment is to _live_. Or would you try and subvert our king again?"

"Besides all that, are you dumb? Wanting to die, deciding that you're better off dead… It can hurt the people around you so much. I don't know who you consider friends, but look at your allies at least. I'm sure that any number of them have tried to reach out and help you with what's happening to you right now," I swallow heavily, crushing down the image of scarred flesh that appeared in my head.

"Assertion: I would be... saddened if you were terminated."

"The dead help no one. Survival means you can do _something_ even if it's minor."

"You honestly look like you need to break something," Fenrir mentions. "Or get your shit kicked in. One of the two." He smiles. "Break someone that wants to break you, that's something I like to do."

Raging Form curls over in pain, body tense and sweat dripping to the floor. The void energy gets faster, more intense as he begins muttering to himself before there was a half pulse that seemed to be aborted. In the end, the dragon is still laying on the stone tile, conscious but not exactly looking at the top of his game.

Bedevere is the first to approach the fallen dragon. "Are you alright?"

"No," the Abyss Dragon admits. After a minute he adds, "But I don't think I'm getting worse. I can feel it crawling inside me. In every inhalation of breath, every twitch of my body… Every thought in my head. It's there, but I think I can fight it back. _I want to try_."

"And are you sure of that? You'd be courting death if you slipped even once," Junos advised from where he was standing, his voice soft.

The dragon snorted as he tried to push himself up on shaking limbs. "No matter the reason I give, it can be taken as evidence of my being compromised. But, _yes_. I am _sure_."

"Great, so we're a pair of idiots running headlong towards the enemy. But what about the Gravity Ball and my friend?" I ask as I watch the byplay between the two.

"Go decompile your head!"

"Truthfully, I do have to agree with the assessment on the 'Colony Maker,'" Junos said stepping to a place I could see him. "She is unlikely to have ulterior motives and her presence would be a sign of our trust."

"I can confirm that, with the exception of her taste in shirts, she's pretty alright," I interject with a thumbs-up, though I really should have burned that tie dye shirt at some point.

"Of course, that leaves the matter of our _other_ Link Joker captive…" Bedivere muttered, glaring at the Grade One.

Not even bothering to pause, I blurt, "Scrap him, or leave him in the deepest, darkest hole you can find."

The Royal Paladin sighed. "By previous experience if we kill him, his consciousness will transfer to another body that he seems to have stashed all over Sanctuary. Meaning we have to search for and capture him… Again. Leaving him alone for too long a period has resulted in some… _Rather inventive_ suicide methods."

"I believe some of the Dark Irregular spies have been taking notes for new torture ideas!" Junos proudly added with a genuine smile.

"...What if it was Contract Magic?" the Cyber Dragon asked. "That in exchange for being loyal to the moron, both United Sanctuary and Dragon Empire would relinquish their claims for vengeance. Should I act against him, my own magic would tear my soul to shreds."

Blaster Dark whistled. "Someone's desperate."

"There's no mental challenge to be had here. The waste on my time and intellect is worse than anything the dumbass could do. Besides, you know it as well as I do. If you want to keep him alive to deal with the Яeverse, he's going to need _someone_ who knows the battlefield. Someone that also sticks with him long enough that there isn't a rehash every battle as you toss him between Nations and Clans."

"Wait, a moment, Contract magic? This is some new stuff to me. We talking about geis or something?" I ask, looking between the knight and the edge of the Gravity Ball's cell.

"That is not… Inaccurate," Bedevere allowed.

"And is there any penalty for me if the all-star member of the Farquad Star Squad here decides to betray us?" I inquire. Being stuck with the gremlin? Ugh…

"The instant he tried, the agreed condition would fall. In this case, his own magic would destroy him utterly, before he could even complete the act. But if this were to be agreed to, the moment either the United Sanctuary or the Dragon Empire attempted to act against him for his role in the Invasion War, he would be able to do whatever he so pleased. In this case, _you_ are merely a post he is trying to tie himself to. There would be no penalty upon your head," Bedevere said simply.

Looking at the knight blandly, I reply, "Except for the fact that the blame could _easily_ be put on my head for that. It's the fallacy of trusting someone who was an enemy, you guys are taking a leap to trust me, and I'd be taking a leap to trust him. If everything works out, then great, if not, then it's usually the guy in the middle that's gifted the blame."

"We haven't said that we've _agreed_ to it," Junos points out. "Just what would happen if we did."

"…Fair. How hard would it be to find someone to properly mind him though?"

"To this point we have not found one," Bedivere states with a sigh. "We understand so little about the Link Joker that he's managed to weasel out escapes through the strangest of methods."

"Well, I'm game to try this if you guys are, though I'll admit to being wary," I decide, seeing as I'll have to deal with this guy for the foreseeable future.

There's a shared look between the Paladins.

This is gonna be a hell of thing, isn't it?

{~}{~}

Walking out into a different room, rolling my shoulders with the Colony Maker, Gravity Ball, and Raging Form trailing behind me, all I can do is worry.

I'm walking out onto a battlefield.

I've gotten into fights before, but this is the first time where death's been on the table. I'm rather engrossed in my own thoughts, but a throat being cleared snaps me out of them.

Standing before me is a beautiful young woman, clad in a white dress with gold accents, a crownlike head ornament atop her brow, and a pair of pointed ears sticking out of her hair. She smiles warily at me and the others, except for Gravity Ball, as she speaks in melodic tone, "Well know, it seems we'll be working together from now on. I am Ashlei, of the Jewel Knights of the Royal Paladins."

I try and smile, my mouth twisted into a strange not-grimace as I reply, "I'm Trent, nice to meet you."

Why do I keep meeting people who are prime targets?


	20. Chapter 16 - Tactical Analysis

**Chapter 16: Tactical Analysis (No Help From Friend)**

I looked down at the files strewn on the table, the names of certain units popping out to me while other things flew over my head. I assumed that they were locations or tactics or something, but I had no way to know for sure.

"You're gonna get slaughtered, Midget," a perpetual annoyance stated looking over the map.

We were seated in an amphitheatre sized room, eight of us circling a large table that had seats sized appropriately for all of us. I was seated with the Gravity Ball on one side and the Colony Maker on the other, while Raging Form occupied an entire side of the table by himself. Across from those of us who are definitively Link Joker, sat the tacticians of the Royal, Shadow, and Gold Paladin clans, Marron and Charon. And the final two were the leaders of the Jewel Knights, Ashlei and Salome.

Without looking up from my study of the files, I weakly slapped the back of the cyber dragon's head, "Rude. At least explain why their plan wouldn't work. Also, explain for the rest of us, as I've no idea as to why it wouldn't work."

He side-eyed me before deciding to completely not answer. "Question: What does that scrap-heap you call a brain remember about Nebula Lord Dragon?" The smug was palpable.

I paused for a moment, thinking on what I could recall of the unit. After a moment I replied, "A cyber dragon, he is one of the current ringers as it were among the Star-vader forces. And then there's that quote of his about showing mercy to those in despair. Other than that… he can draw power from the Locks around him to empower himself and his allies."

The answer seemed unsatisfactory to the others at the table, but all I could do was shrug, "He never really stuck out, especially when compared to the other leaders."

The cyber dragon sighed. "Of all the… Okay… For the _babies_ among us… Nebula Lord Dragon is the commander in charge of pacifying both Dragon Empire and Dark Zone. In other words, we're going up against his strategies. Worse, we're going up against him in a _fortified position_. He's an efficiency monster. His tactics revolve around getting the most enemies down for the cost, three enemies for a production unit. ten Platoons for a body. There is nothing he won't sacrifice if he thinks that in taking it his foes lose something much more valuable. The best way to take him out is before he can settle in, _which isn't an option._ Now also remember that most of the expedition is _Shadow Paladins_. You know, the people who _sacrifice their own allies_. Even if Midget here comes up with a perfect battle strategy, it's going to be a slog for every meter of dirt and at minimum 70% of the forces that I've seen are going to be dead before we hit any objective. _Does he stand out now?_ "

"Wow, calm your non-mammalian mammaries, we already have Soul Saver Dragon making everyone confused." I shot back, gritting my teeth as I consider those facts. If that really was how Nebula Lord was, then it really was an uphill battle.

Rather than suggest anything serious, I decided to lighten the mood, "Any chance that he'd bring you into his base if you put on an act of having gotten away?"

"No." The reply was spat out with grinding teeth. "I'm already dead to them."

"Bugger, well there goes the suicide bomber idea," I shrug in obvious jest. Looking back across the table, I nod to the tacticians, "Any plans that you think can get past that sort of defense?"

"Not without a good knowledge of where to expect our foes," Charon replied voice and face utterly serene, as if nothing that was being discussed here was new news.

"Easy," The cyber dragon sighed. "Just figure out where an ambush would be most effective if you don't see it coming, but where it can easily turn into an advantageous position even if it _is_ discovered. Then add a couple fallback positions not too far away for where the rest of the forces would launch from in case of ambush but would be able to retreat away if either they or the scout force is prematurely discovered." He looked over the map and poked three different locations. "Here, here and here. Those are the biggest ones along your planned route. There will probably be some patrols as well but even I can't clock his forces down to the microsecond."

"I see," Frowning at the map from her own position, Ashlei murmured as she studied the points and tapped one of them. "In that case, the Jewel Knights can at least provide the bulk of forces headed for this point. Charon, Marron, is that alright or do you have some objection to it?"

"Yes," the Shadow Paladin stated with confidence. "Salome, as you are perhaps the most veteran members of the First Army, your experience is needed here defending our own borders. It wouldn't do to secure Amon's loyalty only to find that our country has fallen. Why then he would probably turn on us then and there," the miniature giant chuckled at the bleek image.

"Then the problem remains," Raging Form quietly rumbled.

"Oh, I think I can figure something out," Charon assured his fellow paladin.

Marron in a flash of understanding blinked and glared sourly at Charon. "That is simply cruel."

"The word you are looking for that describes them is _crude_ , my dear," Charon rejoined and even Raging Form snorted as he realized what Charon had in mind. "But they are effective… For brutes."

Looking between the pair, I spoke up, "And for those of us _not_ in the know?"

The tactician of the Shadow Paladins chuckled, "Quite simply, I intend to use the animosity some brain dead buffoons have with my superiors to our advantage. When they hear that we intend to be in…" He looked over the map before pointing to one of the cities near to one of the ambush sites, "Barsaive, they will mobilize to attack. And well… They'll run into the invaders _long_ before they would meet us."

"Alright, so, you're baiting some people into being meatshields for us, but the question of who remains," I grouse, staring at the young looking man.

"You know our Vanguard's world far better than we. Who was it that always is after our Vanguard, Ren, again? Kiko Yahami or something like that? Suffice it to say his bonded Units in our world are just as predictable and boneheaded."

I blink, taking a few moments, "That Yahagi kid? He uses… Well, he's switched a bit, but if I recall correctly that would mean the Spike Brothers. Not to disparage you in anyway, but are you sure they'll be good for this? Or that they won't survive and then turn around and attack us?"

"They're far too loud. We'd hear them from a mountain range away and that's assuming they are _trying_ to be stealthy. And once their blood gets boiling, they can't stop themselves. All we really have to do is wait for them to get into a fight with the Star-vaders or the lost Craians they have under their influence," Charon assured me. "As an added bonus, they are local and native to Dark Zone so they're easy to mobilize and they have plenty of reserves. An excellent solution to a man who plans on wearing us down through numbers."

"And given their own skill at deployment tactics, and reinforcing rushes, they're the sort who are best for sending at entrenched positions…" Or at least, that's what I assumed. I've never had a head for tactics, so I could be wrong.

Marron was still frowning and clenching his hand. "It doesn't feel right... Using them like this."

Looking at the giant, I cocked an eyebrow, "Well, 'can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs' would be the most appropriate phrase here. Or 'skulls' in this case, I guess."

The Gold Paladin stared at me in disgust for a moment before shaking his head, even as his counterpart chuckled darkly. "I might _understand_ , but that doesn't make it _right_."

"And that, dear Marron, is why you are tactician for the First and Second Armies," Charon stated calmly. "You and your methods represent the ideals the United Sanctuary wishes to showcase. A world it wishes to bring to existence. We of the Third Army exist because sometimes the reality does not work out perfectly. It is our sin, and our penance."

Rolling my head back, I consider the plan. It accounts for a single point, though it does present us with a decent force at least. Still, I have to ask, "And you think that you can lure them out to attack all three points? Or do you intend to just hit them one after the other?"

"Down to 50% casualty rate depending on the execution," the Gravity Ball unit muttered eyes darting over the map. "With Shadow Paladins casualties are always a bit up there… but it's a decent option. Nebula would have to deal with the Spike Brothers, which would draw on the forces from all around the area. Some from the initial reinforcement point and some from the latter one as well. Add that they've been identified so the ambush would be minimally effective... That creates a weak point that we'd already be in position to exploit. He'll see through it in about five minutes, but the possibility of another coordinated assault from say Dragon Empire will keep him from being able to commit completely to defense. It will hurt, but it's not going to end in only one out of ten reaching the United Sanctuary border when we're done."

"Then, how can we ensure anything from the Dragon Empire?" I asked looking between the more experienced members among us.

"We don't," Marron states calmly. "Simply the threat that it _might_ happen is more effective than any actual attack that the Empire could muster in conjunction with us at this point. In essence, we're going to use that efficiency he prides himself on against him. He might in theory wipe out 30% more or even all of our force if he commits to attacking this expedition fully. But if he does and the Dragon Empire _does_ launches their own offensive at nearly the same time, he will lose much more of his defenses, crippling him. If he chooses to send a moderate response against our forces then we will fair much better, but if Dragon Empire did attack he would be much better protected and able to fend both off. In other words, it is much more risky for someone in his position to attack our expedition force with all his might."

There is a gleam in Charon's eye as he continues where they other giant leaves off. "Especially since we _aren't_ limited to never telling Dragon Empire about our assault. If we see him over-committing we can call in the Empire which would deal massive damage to the Invasion on our continent even if it means that the expedition forces would be all but wiped out."

"So, we maybe lure in the Dragon Empires forces, that still leaves one point uncovered… Or are you saving that one for us?" I respond, with confusion scrawled my features.

"It would be foolish to assume that we would never fight," Ashlei states.

"I never assumed anything, who's all going?" I look between the group, hoping to anything that they'll not say just us.

"You are quite unsure what you did to affect the Narukami, correct?" Charon asked me directly.

I shrugged, no matter what anyone said, I couldn't be sure. It all felt like a dream after I ranted at Vowing, and the encounter in that weird dreamscape was odd as could be. In the end, I shook my head, "I don't know. As much as I'd like to say yes, the only thing I can say for sure is that when I ranted at him I got through to him."

The tiny tactician clicked his tongue as he considered that, annoyance alighting his eyes as he turned back to the maps. His gaze turned up to the me and the Colony Maker and declared, "So it's something that _might_ happen but not something we can plan on. That will make the fact that we are almost assured to encounter Luquier more difficult." Then he shook his head and waved to the two of us, "Go take a break, you two aren't much help right now anyways. Leave the pipsqueak though, he seems to know what he's talking about."

I couldn't help the look that crossed my face at that.

I could go for a good while without seeing Luquier again.

{~}{~}

I put my head in my hands as I watched the lot of them talk about their plans, the Colony Maker sitting quietly next me, a bottle of water in her hands.

Food and drinks had been provided to us, though I'm not sure if they expected the Colony Maker and I to eat, given our… physiologies.

Still, I nursed a cup of what was essentially Cray's version of coffee as I considered how useless I felt at the moment. I was just a normal person before I got dragged into all of this, and they acted like I should have known how to move an army and plan out tactics.

It… I don't want to say it wasn't fair, but I'd admitted to being just a normal person before this whole mess started up. How can they expect me to be able to keep up with them at the level they're going at?

I slugged back the coffee and crumpled the cup in my hand, it was all so much easier when this was just a card game…

I considered the way it would play out mentally if we were talking about the game itself. Honestly, the Spike Brothers were like the Bermuda Triangle and the Shadow Paladins, they had a good offensive game against the Link Joker, but could be caught up in the Star-vaders' cage if they weren't careful.

From the perspective of the game, the plan had a fair chance, but… this isn't a game. Not for me, not since I woke up in Star Gate.

I let my head hang down and sighed.

It all circled back to there, didn't it?

A foreigner, in a foreign place, in someone else's body.

I barked out a laugh, and mumbled quietly, "Me and that dragon have a bit in common, don't we?"

"Oh, I don't know," A far too cheerful and familiar voice said from behind me. " _You_ have motivations I can understand. So _you_ we can trust."

I looked up and see Junos standing beside me, his armour and cape resplendent even in this gloomy room. I sighed and shook my head, "If you think I'm talking about the Gravity Ball, you're a fair bit off the mark. Me and him are definitely different."

At his puzzled look, I grimace, "Don't worry about it, I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually."

Soon enough, Dragruler Phantom's true being would come to light, though I dunno if Junos would figure out that I was referencing him when it comes up.


	21. Chapter 17 - Breaking and Entering

**Chapter 17: Breaking and Entering (And Shitting on the Floor)**

Looking up at the ceiling above me, I tried to let my mind stop working and just sleep, but I couldn't calm down with how close the operation loomed. The predawn light was forcing itself through the material of the window that said soon we'd be moving. The slight smell of salt in the air a reminder that the next part of this was taking place over open water.

I was being forced back out on the battlefield, where my allies barely trusted me and my enemies thought me a traitor. It wasn't like any of the fights I'd been in back home, but here death was a very possible outcome.

I ground my teeth together as I scrunched my eyes shut.

I didn't want to die.

Back home, I'd considered joining up with the armed forces and such, more to use them to pay for my schooling, but I'd always stopped short. My own fear of dying meeting with my dislike for certain practices driving me away from them.

My hands came up and covered my eyes.

Why couldn't this have been easier?

Why couldn't _any_ of this be easier? Why was it that nothing seemed to go _right_?

There was a slight whooshing sound which was my only warning before a pile of papers attempted to bury themselves in my face. "I know you're awake, defect. You might like to know that recent reports sighted Karma Dragon and Maelstrom making violence on the southern coast of Dark Zone, so we won't have any surprise storms from those two to deal with."

"Fucking kill yourself, dude," I grumbled, not bothering to open my eyes under the reports. The hell did the Maelstroms matter now? Hell, they were on the other side of the country we were headed to, it'd make more sense to hear about Luquier's movements!

Finished with that, I rolled on my side. "What about the other Яeversed? You know, the ones who could actually _effect_ this operation with their presence. Like Luquier, Amon, or the someone from the Dragon Empire?"

"Secondary Target, _Primary Target_ , and the only one from the Empire we are aware of other than the one you messed with is a Ninja. If we know where he is, someone fucked up."

I rolled onto my front, trying to burrow into the pillow as I replied, "What, are the Яeversed all concentrated amongst the Star Gate and Dark Zone right now? Here I'd expect the Clown to have tried to spread the despair around as best he could."

"Statement: Targets were outlined amongst the clans. Those among the Dark Zone and Star Gate were dictated to be the most likely to fall to Яeversal the fastest," The Colony Maker chimed in from where she was sitting, staring at a wall. "Additionally, lack of communication with other Nations and Continents have left much of the situation unknown."

"So we don't know exactly where the other Яeversed are, just that they're probably not going to be involved in this mission."

"Oh boy," I murmured, still trying to sink into my pillow. After a moment, I turned to glare at the Gravity Ball. "Why the hell are we doing this now, anyway?"

The tiny dragon tilted his head before he replied. "Inevitability would be my guess. If the Craians do nothing major the Star-vaders have inevitability. They'll win if things stay as a stalemate. So if tomorrow is just as bleak as today… Why not now?"

"No, I meant, why the hell did you invade my room to do this now, at this moment? It feels like you did it just to piss me off," I murmured as I glared balefully at the dragon. Was it trying to be positive? What a joke.

"Well, it's not like you were asleep or anything," the dragon dismissed. "Might as well get this out of the way when the organics aren't fully active. Some efficiency can be useful."

I blew a paper out of my face, "You say that like I wasn't _trying_ to sleep. Holy shit, was I trying to sleep. Damn insomnia."

"You're an _Infiltration_ type, scrap-for-brains," the Cyber Dragon sighed. "How many times do I have to say it? Sleep isn't necessary. You can fake it well enough, but you don't actually _do_ it. Same with eating. Not necessary, but since you were made to infiltrate other species you can fake it and actually get something from those chemical reactions."

"Wow, it's like I'm a person, who has psychological needs that sleeping and eating help satisfy," I snark back. "It's like having my humanity stripped away is stressing me out. It's like I'm panicking because I fucking hate all of this and want to go home, you fucking shitty Tay AI!"

I was shouting, my chest heaving despite not needing air. I had leapt from the bed at some point, looming over the dracokid while my hands clenched and unclenched.

"You act like I'm doing this out of some sort of misplaced idea that acting like a human will help me fit in! It's not for them! It's for me! So I can feel human, so I don't forget what it was like! What I was like!"

"And-assuming your delusional world actually exists in more than a short-circuiting neuron somewhere in that head of yours-if you were human, how likely is it that you would still be alive right now?" the dracokid asked without flinching "Without magic, how likely is it that you'd have survived the fights you've found yourself in? Whatever you were, that's not what you _are_. If you keep pretending to be something your not, your survival chances are in the negatives."

"I'm not pretending to be someone I'm not! This is who I am and was! This personality, these actions, these memories!" I snarled, even as I felt like punching the Cyber Dragon. "I'd be dead without this body, but I'll resent it every day for not being mine! I've had to so many times remember that I don't need glasses in this body, that the features that are _mine_ are gone!"

"You'll resent it because it's faster, stronger, more resilient, senses more acute than what you are used to?" the Grade 1 asked snarling. "And here I thought most humans dreamed of that sort of thing. Being the fastest, strongest, smartest. Just because it doesn't look like you think it should, it's alright to go and deny everything you have? Some of us lost those things!"

"Humans are hypocrites," I spat back. "We want to be the greatest, but we want it on our terms. We want everything, but we don't want to give anything up. Besides, I never cared about those things, I was perfectly happy with who I was and what I was like."

There were sounds of boots on dirt outside of the room. Chances are they'd heard us but were either pretending they didn't or had orders that made them not care.

I collapsed back onto the bed, my knees folding as I scrubbed my hands over my face. I was so done, just so done with this day. Which is of course when Ashlei walked in and told us that we were moving out for Dark Zone's Northern Shore.

My baleful gaze turned to her, and all I could manage was a groan.

"Of course, now it all starts dominoing into this."

{~}{~}

"Scouts are reporting an ambush squad 50m to the Southeast… Just as expected," one of the Shadow Paladins reported to Chiron and the rest of our little War Tent.

"And so… It begins," Mordred murmured, the rest of the assembled Paladins nodding in agreement with him.

When we got to the battlefield, the fighting had already started. Scattered black orbs with void rings surrounding them told that some of the Shadow Paladins had already been Locked. But there were also scattered bodies in white jumpsuits. Both sides were giving as good as they got. There were also some _very_ familiar bodies on the edges.

"Damn Ezzel, if it weren't for whatever the hell he did with Maelstrom I wouldn't have had the distance issues and could have just gotten to a body out here," Gravity Ball muttered, kicking one of his replicant bodies. "Fucking anomalous planet… And they can't even be bothered to use my strategies!" he whined. "Look at this! Basic swarm tactics! I could be doing so much better!"

"If you could, would you be able to take control of one of the larger bodies?" Junos asked with an almost predatory glint in his eye.

"Read access only," Gravity Ball spat. "Even if I physically accessed the Network Terminal Nodes, I wouldn't be able to push my consciousness into one of them. _This_ is what I'm stuck as."

"Wünderbar as that is," I began, staring out at the killing fields, my eyes glossing over the bodies uncomfortably. "Can we address the fact that we're still waiting on the Spike Brothers? I thought they were experts on mobilization and blitz tactics."

"Barsaive is about 20 kilometers from this position. The Spike Brothers contribution to this fight will be the prevention of more of these things from reinforcing and allowing them to really get entrenched," Charon stated calmly. "This fight is ours."

"…And here I thought I could just hang out back here with you guys and lame it out like Cross Tekken," I grumbled acidicly, feeling entirely unhappy with this situation. I'd thought that the Spikes were to be our meatshields.

"You forget," Junos said as he passed me with a sinister gleam in his eye. "We _want_ to give our Revenge. Not fighting? It's an emotional weight." Then he leapt at one of the Star-vaders with a yell of, "HAVE AT YOU!"

Watching the knight charge into the fray, I couldn't help but wonder, "…Was he just waiting for that chance? Or was he trying to be inspiring? Well, whatever…"

I looked up to Raging Form and shrugged, "If you want to go in and get stuck in, feel free to go wild. I'll be back here, laming it out."

The dragon gave me a look that I could only decipher as bland before wading into battle, his arm and glaive swinging out with savage force as it pulped a number of Star-vaders. His eyes gleamed with an infernal light as he roared, "Come Star-vaders! Face me! Let me tear my Revenge from your corpses!"

"Statement: There are six grade 2's approaching from our left," Colony Maker mentioned.

I turned to look at her, fear pulling at my features before turning my gaze in the direction that she'd indicated. And lo, there was a squad of Star-vaders charging us, no form to their formation as they closed. I did some quick mental math. It was myself, the Colony Maker, the Gravity Ball, and Ashlei against the six Star-vaders.

"How many of them do you think you can handle, Ashlei?" I inquired as my hands balled into fists. It wasn't like I had any weapon to use…

"Better question is if we can stop their Lock, Scrap-head. Between a tag-team we should be able to get two down… But three Lockers make this trouble." The dracokid pointed out, stirring my memories of the Star-vaders charging us.

Three dragons, the lot of them with white scales and red and black embellishments, their heads smoothed out and elongated like Xenomorphs except for a set of horns jutting from them, their wings encircled by a single black ring. Star-vader Mobius Breath Dragon. Supporting them was a trio Niobiums, the feminine cyberoids flanking the Cyber Dragons with their claw-like extensions, Void Magic carving trails in the air behind each tip.

"The main thing we have to do is dodge the Mobius Breaths' attacks, they're the ones who can do the Locking amongst the enemy force. The real issue will be taking care of the Niobiums, they'll be the ones trying to force us into the line of fire," I advised as I squared my shoulders and pulled at the Void energy from the various Locks scattered across the battlefield.

"Our odds are worse if we don't take some of them down right away," Gravity Ball stated, moving behind Colony Maker. The two began running at the rightmost Mobius Breath Dragon, Gravity Ball creating a namesake and tossing it at the larger Cyber Dragon to slow it's motion enough for Colony Maker to send a high intensity blast of Void Magic at the dragon before it could retaliate. The right Niobium threw itself in the way with it's claws grinding against the blast, even as it was affected by the high gravity bubble.

I hung back even as Ashlei darted past me, her weapon flashing out as she disarmed one of the Niobiums. I caught sight of a Mobius Breath looming up behind her, its mouth filled with crimson light as it prepared to launch an attack on her. Pushing out with the Void energy, I formed a shield in front of the dragon's maw. I could feel a noise pounding in my ears as I pushed the shield forward, the Star-vader's attack splashing against it even as it was forced back into its throat. With the opening I presented, Ashlei cut down the Niobium she was engaged with.

Two other beams of Void flashed out. One from the untouched Mobius Breath and the other slower and more jerky from the one that had been under Gravity's spell. Colony Maker and Gravity Ball scattered and were able to dodge the second, but the first one stuck Gravity Ball and Locked him down. And shit… Niobiums got more powerful if there was a Locked unit on your side, didn't they?

With no other option, I expanded the shield I had in the one Star-vader's mouth, the red translucent shield cutting open its head as its attack fizzled in the remnants of its throat. Letting the shield dissipate, I formed another one above the already hurt Niobium and slammed down on it, forcing it to remain stationary as it struggled against the shield pushing down on it.

Colony Maker floated higher in the air as the remaining Niobium pressed the attack against her.

Ashlei was currently focusing on the Mobius Dragon that Colony Maker had previously been fighting. The black breath splashed across her rapier. Alone that wouldn't be enough to stop her, but the other one was lining up an attack. As the untouched Mobius Breath began to exhale- "That's enough from you." -a pair of black rings flew from behind me and ensnared it, breaking its attack and forcing it to wail as it was Locked. "Learn to Lock properly, _trash_ ," Gravity Ball snapped at the Locked Dragon. "Stealing that Lock from the inside was so easy, it was insulting."

Now without the second attack, Ashlei was able to charge the remaining dragon and skewer it's head and heart with a pair of deadly quick thrusts. I could feel my shield hit the ground and tried not to think too hard on what that meant. Gravity Ball threw another ball at the remaining Niobium and with the power boost from the Lock gone and sphere pinning it down, Colony Maker was able to launch an attack that overcame its defenses.

Leaning back, I sighed heavily. I looked around at the others, "We're all still here? All alive? All membered?"

"What an interesting way to ask," Ashlei stated. "However, I do not think any of us have suffered lasting injuries."

"Good, always good to know that we've still got legs," I snarked. "There's always an awful lot of running to do."

Gravity Ball pointed to the corpses and asked, "This stuff is ours right?"

"If it is, it's probably getting confiscated," I replied as I gazed at the wreckage.

Ashlei nodded, "Very much confiscated after the battle."

"We're going to need the converters eventually…"


	22. Chapter 18 - Unlock, Upkeep, Draw Plans

**Chapter 18: Unlock, Upkeep, Draw Plans**

I collapsed backwards, my legs all but giving out on me after the battle. I didn't rightly know if it was due to my own mindset causing the reaction or my instincts robbing me of the feeling in my legs.

I took a few deep breaths, trying to center myself even as the sounds of combat echoed across the battlefield, petering beyond hearing before a roar went up from the Shadow Paladins.

All of that… I'd killed. I'd killed purposely, destroying that Star-vader. It was so different from…

I shivered, recalling the image of the Selenium collapsed against a tree.

Around the battlefield, the Shadow Paladins began collecting the wounded and dead. The bodies of the dead Star-vaders were tossed together without much care while the wounded were taken off the field. There weren't many dead Shadow Paladins, though Locked units also littered the field, the Void Magic still trapping the bound unit in a prison of agony.

Feeling sick, I forced myself to my feet. I had to keep moving forward, no matter what happened.

I could probably at least try and help Unlock the ones stuck in them, I was a rank amateur at it, but it was the least I could do.

Gravity Ball had strode over to the pile of Star-vader bodies and seemed to be inspecting them for something before getting into an argument with the next Shadow Paladin to add one to the pile.

With that in mind, I strode over to the closest Lock, having no real idea as to what I was doing and reached out with what I knew of the magic in this body. I wanted to pull the Lock apart, free the one inside. Making contact with it, metaphysically speaking, it was like a series of knots all snaking in on themselves, like a hose or extention cord when it gets improperly put away and pulled back out. It wasn't _complex_ but undoing the knots wasn't a question of simple brute force.

…Well, there were ways _around_ knots.

I didn't have the brute force or any idea how to cut the knot, but with a bit of "slack" it would unravel on its own. I wasn't quite sure if I could actually do it, but with a bit of effort, I pulled on the energy making the knot itself and drew it into me as I had when fleeing Luquier.

It was different from that time. Then I had been running, so focused on repurposing the magic radiating off of the Lock into shields to protect me from the Silver Thorn Queen's thralls rather than undoing the Locks themselves.

This time, it was like a surge of energy poured through my body, filling it with power. It was intoxicating, making me feel like I could take on the world. It was amazing, like I'd just eaten a full meal and had a wonderful rest.

"That is a non-standard method of interaction with Locked Units," Colony Maker noted from behind me.

Tracing my hands across the rings of the Lock, I pulled and _pulled_ and **_PULLED_**. Perhaps it was greed, a lust for a power, a desire to not feel as weak as I had just moments ago. Maybe it was something else. I didn't know offhand and didn't care to analyze. I didn't look back at her as I replied, "Maybe, but if it works…"

The rings _cracked_. I belatedly realized I was smiling.

The Lock fell away, the soldier within letting out a groan of relief as they were released and subsequently passed out. Pulling my hands up to look at the almost flame-like puffs of Void coating them, I remarked, "…Then it works."

I smiled out at the fields around us before looking to the Colony Maker standing behind me. With a wide gesture across the battlefield, I declared, "We've got a whole lot of Unlocking to get to."

"Of course," came the answer, so willing to follow along as she was.

{~}{~}

"Well, I must admit that your presence here has had a rather unanticipated benefit," Charon remarked. "Though it possibly should have been something we should have asked about as you use the same Magic as our enemies."

"Eh, it's less me actively knowing how to use it and more swinging till I hit something," I responded, leaning back in my seat in the command tent. "So much as I wish that I was some kind of motherfucking sorcerer, I'm not."

"Clearly," Gravity Ball muttered from beside me. Then even more softly so that it was next to impossible to hear he added, "Can't even read subtext."

With a roll of my shoulders, I reflected on the energy that I'd worked off, missing the way that it had made me feel. Looking to the short Giant, I ask, "So, how's the plan progressing?"

"Scouting reports indicate that Nebula Lord Dragon is fortifying his main strongholds. In addition, he is sending the Silver Thorns after us." The Giant smiled a grin that is all teeth. "We might not have any active contacts with the Pale Moon, but they haven't had long enough to change their codes."

With a puckering of my lips, I looked down to the table and grunted, "Well, guess we better keep Raging Form and the rest of the draconic soldiers off the field if the Silver Thorns are going to be taking the field. Don't want her busting her Mystic Eye out on them."

Raging Form began to make a great rumbling growl that began to shake some of the smaller objects on the table.

"While it isn't _only_ dragons who are vulnerable to her Geas, trying to fend off two mental influences at once would be… Not ideal," Junos stated, staring the Abyss Dragon down. "You aren't in doubt, but we can all recognize a bad matchup in a fight."

The dragon scowled fiercely, his claws tightening around the haft of his polearm to the point that it creaked under the pressure.

"That is… understood, what would you have me do then? Babysit this lot?" With that he gestured at me, the Colony Maker, and the Gravity Ball.

"If we lose them, we do lose our ability to rescue Locked comrades," Mordred noted neutrally. "That would be bad." Then he shrugged as if it was the difference between picking a red shirt or a blue one. "And we have seen that it is possible to overcome the Яeverse. And if that were to happen… There would only be one mental influence, no greater risk than anyone else is taking. And personally, I don't think any of our Paladins lose out to a _Thunder Dragon_. Afterall, you managed to not succumb when affected, no one else has."

Raging Form grumbled, but didn't say anything. I smiled up at the dragon, and remarked, "Welcome to the "hanging out in the back club," there's no membership fees, no perks, and no respect given freely."

At least the worst the rumours he'd get would be about him being taken off the frontlines, I'd more than likely be called a coward.

…Then again, I was in no mood to encounter Luquier again. The Crazy Elf had more than put me off her presence until she managed to find her happy- _less dominatrix_ place. I was fine with her being into that, but I sure as hell wasn't touching it with a nine foot pole.

I was something of a sadist, I'm willing to admit that much. I had a line. She would have used it to do unmentionable things to me.

Shaking my head, I declared, "So, what's the plan to deal with our unfriendly neighbourhood Silver Thorn Dragon Queen, Luquier Яeverse?"

"She'll want to make a production out of her attack, so we don't have to worry as much about ambush," Charon began. "And in a straight fight, I don't doubt our victory. Though I admit, it would have been much more difficult without the forces which were Unlocked. I imagine that will be quite the shock for Nebula Lord when he learns of it."

"The main issue is how she uses her Lock ability. She essentially uses it to pull servants out from under…under her bra? Well, her crown, I guess," I remarked, thinking back on the Elf's abilities.

"Not exactly unusual for the Pale Moon," Junos noted, face perfectly composed. "The main difference is that they actually stay out. Though that always _was_ a talent of hers."

I shrugged, pulling a face, "Well, they also get a nice juicy steroid shot from the release, as it were. So that's a fun little detail. Outside of that, we also have to deal with Nebula at the same time."

Charon looked over to Gravity Ball, "What would you say would be the closest force that could affect our fight if we only needed…" his hand moved over the table and separated some folders from the rest leaving about a two-thirds in the central pile, "This much of our forces to defeat Luquier?"

Closing his eyes as he ran calculations he stated,"Assuming that he only calls on the ones from Dark Zone, then he'd be bringing them in from the Northwest. More exactly, I'd say that they would be coming out of some ruins that Chaos Breaker wanted investigated. It was around the area that Scrap-for-brains was filmed." Then he pointed to the Gear Chronicle Ruins. "Though since he won't be expecting the Unlocked Troops… We should be fine overall."

I clicked my tongue at that, annoyed at how my own actions were causing this. What would they do if they found the Time-manipulating Clan? Could they? Most of Cray didn't even know they existed, but the Star-vaders had evidence.

"So, we can maybe expect enemy reinforcements from there, and should we expect anything from the Dragon Empire given our proximity to its borders?"

"If he does, we've been screwed from the beginning. Are what little of your brains you had seeping out of your skull? That was the conceit of this _entire_ expedition."

"I mean, the issue is if we actually _have_ to worry about Hyakki Vogue. The fucker's annoying with his whole Shadow Clone shit," I murmured as I thought about the Яeversed Ninja Dragon. Fuck that guy. "Then again, I doubt that we have to worry about him till later. And I'm allowed to worry about shit going wrong, you trash gremlin."

"You'll run them through, won't you?" Junos asked Raging Form, I couldn't tell if his smirk was at the by-play or the images he was indulging in of Raging Form against the Star-vaders. "If they come, that should be enough, right?"

Raging Form grunted, "Well, it'd be reason enough… And besides, should worst come to pass, then I'll be free to work off my aggression."

"Then guard our back."

"Ha, I'd prefer to lead the charge, but I'll gladly watch your six this time," The dragon remarked, a cruel grin on his maw at the thought.

Looking at the two of them, I cleared my throat, "Listen, much as I hate to actually acknowledge the lawn ornament as being close to correct on anything, he did have a point earlier. Don't know if it got to you yet. Would we be able to have some of the parts from the dead Star-vaders? Spares are kind a necessity, seeing as we're all robots."

"You need doctors and healing magic, we need repairs," the cyber dragon stated, actually ignoring the jab for once. "And even if those two _can_ eat, it's still hell on their converters… And I do actually need fuel eventually. We're e _fficient_ , but even the Void doesn't work miracles for free."

"I see…" Mordred trailed off, his eyes trying to bore into my soul. After a moment, he declared, "I shall send a report to the King, it is wisest to let him decide on this matter."

"Bureaucracy _and_ Travel Latency, _joy_ ," Gravity Ball grumbled.

I shrugged and murmured to the cyber dragon, "At least he's willing to check for us, short stuff. He coulda just brushed it off like Claret would have."

Gravity Ball just rolled his eyes. "From what I remember of that expedition team, they're mostly capture and retrieval specialist Units. Things like Palladium, Dysprosium, Mobius Breath, Freezeray Dragon" His claws tapped the table as he continued to speculate. "There might be one or two spare bodies of one of the commanders there, but they'd be on auto-pilot. Not the actual Nebula Lord. If your forces didn't have their Units Unlocked… Anything you kept back here would probably have been a sacrifice."

"That means that the main threat would be the actual leader and the Mobius Breaths then, if I remember correctly," Ashlei remarked, the Jewel Knight speaking for the first time during the meeting.

"It is unusual for non-Ego Units to be able to wield the power of Void to Lock," Colony Maker replied. "Exceptions are for Capture and Retrieval and as those targets are often powerful in their own right, low grade Units would fall before being able to accomplish the goal. Thus the creation of Unit Class: Freezeray Dragon. Retention and Continuation of existing Locks is something handled by the more fragile lesser Unit Classes."

"And Freezeray's his own issue due to Locking those who attack him… Any way around that? Multiple angles of attack at the same time? Striking from a distance?" I inquired as I remembered the unit in question. "And as for the other units, they'll likely get in the way, but unless they've got Kryptons or Radons, I wouldn't expect too much of a fight."

Raging Form's scales seemed to have paled to an ashen color and his entire body shook. "We. _Encountered_. A Freezeray Dragon." He was practically hyperventilating. "It ended in _THIS!_ " He roared, jamming a single digit at the ring hovering behind him.

"We weren't aware of its power at the time or the disruption it could cause," Charon muttered. "By the time we realized… It was my failure."

I frowned, thinking on that.

"But, there's no reason for a Freezeray to have been able to Яeverse you… They're not Chaos Breaker. Maybe he was acting through one?"

"I cannot speak on the details there," Charon stated. "But knowing what I do now, I would say multiple attackers are the _worst_ way of attacking one of those creatures. No, far better is to pin it down and finish it off in one blow. It can't use its power when _dead_."

"Fair enough then, I'll assume that you'd want to do the honours?" I asked the Яeversed dragon.

" _Vengeance_ ," Raging Form hissed in reply. I couldn't fully tell if he could hear me at the moment, but everyone knew that was a yes.

I looked about the table, seeing all of them settling into their ready states even as the pit in my stomach started to grow deeper.

The battle would continue yet.


End file.
